U.S. House, Ohio 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Ohio's 7th Congressional District?
Max Miller has the strongest record in Ohio's 7th Congressional District. Max Miller scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Brian Poindexter at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Max Miller's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Brian Poindexter's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Thahbia Asad (0 of 15 criteria) and Andrey Joseph Martinichin (3 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Write-in
Thahbia Asad
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- Performance
- NR
Write-in
Andrey Joseph Martinichin
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Max Miller
58 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- 50
Democratic
Brian Poindexter
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Thahbia Asad
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Max Miller
- Unresolved2026-08-04
The House Ethics Committee opened a review on Aug. 4, 2026 of allegations he may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use, after he requested it; he denies the allegations.
Where it stands: Pending before the House Ethics Committee under Committee Rule 18(a); the Committee says the review does not itself indicate a violation; no finding or further statement found as of Oct. 9, 2026.
Sources: NPR, Aug. 4, 2026, Newsweek, House Ethics Committee statement, Aug. 4, 2026, News 5 Cleveland, Aug. 2026
- Unresolved2026
His ex-wife Emily Moreno alleged in police reports and court filings that he physically abused her; he denies it, was not charged, and child services did not substantiate child abuse allegations, per court records.
Where it stands: Unresolved as of Oct. 9, 2026: no criminal charge, no court finding of abuse; the allegations are the subject of the pending House Ethics Committee review and of the civil suits below.
Sources: ABC News, July 31, 2026, Akron Beacon Journal, July 29, 2026
- Unresolved2026-05
Sued Emily Moreno for defamation in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court over her abuse claims; her lawyers moved to dismiss under Ohio's anti-SLAPP law.
Where it stands: Pending in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court; filed May 2026; Moreno's motion to dismiss under Ohio's anti-SLAPP law was on file by July 29, 2026; no ruling found in an established outlet as of Oct. 9, 2026.
Sources: Akron Beacon Journal, July 29, 2026, ABC News, July 31, 2026, 13abc (AP), May 15, 2026
- Unresolved2026-02-17
Sued for defamation by Dr. Feras Hamdan on Feb. 17, 2026, the day Hamdan pleaded guilty to misdemeanors from a June 2025 road incident in which Miller said Hamdan threatened him.
Where it stands: Pending in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court; Miller filed a counterclaim and third-party complaint April 24, 2026, and whether to strike it was still pending as of May 28, 2026; no later ruling found as of Oct. 9, 2026.
Sources: Bloomberg Law, Feb. 17, 2026, News 5 Cleveland, Cleveland Jewish News, May 28, 2026
- Unresolved2026-08-12
Emily Moreno sued him, his lawyer and the lawyer's firm in federal court in Ohio on Aug. 12, 2026 on behalf of their daughter, alleging they recklessly published a nude image of the child online.
Where it stands: Pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio; his lawyer said he alone was responsible for the release; no ruling found as of Oct. 9, 2026.
Sources: CNN via KEYT, Aug. 12, 2026, Washington Post via Philadelphia Inquirer, Aug. 13, 2026
- On the record2021 to 2026
Sued former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham for defamation in 2021 over abuse allegations; they reached a confidential settlement, and in August 2026 Grisham sought a restraining order against him.
Sources: ABC News, July 31, 2026, MS NOW, Aug. 3, 2026
- Credit2026-06-04
Voted Yea on passage of the Ukraine Support Act on June 4, 2026 when Speaker Johnson voted Nay; 18 House Republicans voted Yea.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 207, 2026
Brian Poindexter
- Credit2017
Elected at-large to the Brook Park City Council in 2017.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brian Poindexter
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 10, 2026 after an extension. No FEC administrative fine or official ethics finding; a House Ethics Committee review opened in August 2026 is unresolved and does not move the score.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076162, FEC administrative fines search
Brian Poindexter. House candidate financial disclosure filed March 30, 2026 and campaign reports on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or official finding found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10073334, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Voted Yea on passage of the Ukraine Support Act and the Faster Labor Contracts Act in 2026 when Speaker Johnson voted Nay; 18 and 20 House Republicans voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 207, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 216, 2026
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. No public record found.
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Served in the Marine Corps Reserve and as a White House aide, and in Congress since 2023. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding; the House Ethics Committee review opened Aug. 4, 2026 is pending and does not move the score.
Sources: Office site, About, NPR, Aug. 4, 2026
Brian Poindexter. Elected to the Brook Park City Council in 2017 and works as an apprenticeship instructor for Ironworkers Local 17. No conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brian Poindexter
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Six years in the Marine Corps Reserve and in Congress since January 2023, after the January 2021 electoral count. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Office site, About
Brian Poindexter. Took the oath of an elected city council seat in Brook Park after his 2017 election. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brian Poindexter
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. A nurse with a 2022 associate degree from Clark State Community College. No public office held.
Source: Ballotpedia, Andrey Martinichin
Max Miller. In the U.S. House since January 2023, seeking a third term; earlier a senior White House adviser and Marine Corps reservist.
Sources: GovTrack, Max Miller, Office site, About
Brian Poindexter. Elected at-large member of the Brook Park City Council since 2017; union ironworker and apprenticeship instructor.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brian Poindexter
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. Lists policy priorities on health care, energy and agriculture in general terms.
Source: Campaign site
Max Miller. Sits on the Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs committees and publishes issue pages.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page
Brian Poindexter. Publishes positions on cost of living, gas prices, health care, unions, Social Security, data centers and law enforcement, mostly in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a priorities page.
Source: Ballotpedia, Andrey Martinichin
Max Miller. Offers an email newsletter and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Brian Poindexter. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes plain-language issue statements.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Brian Poindexter, Campaign site, home page
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Born in Shaker Heights per his biography and lives in Bay Village, both in Cuyahoga County. FEC by-state totals show about 30 percent of itemized individual contributions from Ohio.
Sources: Office site, About, FEC contribution totals by state
Brian Poindexter. Serves on the Brook Park City Council in Cuyahoga County. FEC by-state totals show about 29 percent of itemized individual contributions from Ohio.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Brian Poindexter, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Brian Poindexter. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.622 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.456, below expectations. No enacted bill as sponsor shown on GovTrack.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Missed 81 of 1,917 roll call votes, 4.2 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Office site reports 1,664 constituent cases resolved and $21.9 million recovered from federal agencies, with offices in Parma and Medina.
Source: Office site, home page
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.44933 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 214 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Thahbia Asad. No public record found.
Andrey Joseph Martinichin. No public record found.
Max Miller. No public record found.
Brian Poindexter. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Ohio's 7th Congressional District?
Max Miller has the strongest record in Ohio's 7th Congressional District. Max Miller scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Brian Poindexter at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Max Miller's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Brian Poindexter's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Thahbia Asad (0 of 15 criteria) and Andrey Joseph Martinichin (3 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Ohio's 7th Congressional District in 2026?
Thahbia Asad (Write-in), Andrey Joseph Martinichin (Write-in), Max Miller (Republican, incumbent), Brian Poindexter (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Thahbia Asad a good candidate for Congress?
Thahbia Asad has public evidence on 0 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Andrey Joseph Martinichin a good candidate for Congress?
Andrey Joseph Martinichin has public evidence on 3 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Max Miller a good candidate for Congress?
Max Miller scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Brian Poindexter a good candidate for Congress?
Brian Poindexter scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Ohio race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Ohio 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.