Sexual misconduct probes mount against House members ahead of midterms

Republicans defend 219-212 House majority as ethics cases multiply

A pileup of sexual misconduct cases before the House Ethics Committee is casting more uncertainty over several races in the run-up to the midterms, giving a potential boost to Democrats despite scandals in both parties.

Republican Reps. Cory Mills of Florida and Max Miller of Ohio are both under investigation by the committee as they seek re-election, and Rep. Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.) ended his bid after a probe was announced. The panel is also investigating Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California, though his seat is set to stay in his party’s column even if he loses.

The mounting probes could strain Republicans’ effort to hold on to the House, where they currently have a 219-212 majority, with four vacancies. “These scandals all have a significant impact on the individual races,” said Erin Covey, the House editor at campaign tracker Cook Political Report, who sees the overall political environment favoring Democrats. The candidate problems have a “disproportionate impact on Republicans’ ability to keep their hold in the House this year,” she said.

Mills is on the GOP ballot Tuesday in what is expected to be a tight primary. He faces allegations ranging from domestic abuse and revenge porn to improper business dealings to claims of stolen military valor, and he denies the claims. President Trump backed Mills earlier this year, but in a series of endorsements of Florida primary candidates last week, Trump omitted Mills from his list. Mills has compared his legal troubles with the president’s and said he is facing the same GOP establishment that tried to hinder Trump’s rise.

Mills’s main GOP opponent, former broadcast news anchor Ryan Elijah, warned that if Mills won the nomination, Republicans “are going to get a huge surprise in November.” Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to support Mills, stating that he has “not endorsed Cory Mills and I do not support Cory Mills.” Two of Mills’s Republican colleagues, Florida Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, have also criticized Mills and have endorsed Elijah for the seat.

In Ohio, Miller is under investigation by the committee following accusations of domestic violence and child abuse made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R., Ohio). He won his primary but has refused to drop out of the race. Republicans worry the allegations against Miller could cost the GOP a House seat and potentially depress GOP turnout in a state with competitive races for governor and Senate.

“I am in this for the long haul,” Miller said. “I know there are some people that are concerned about my ability to win this race right now, but I don’t share that.” Cook Political Report downgraded Republicans’ chances of keeping the district from “likely Republican” to “toss up” following Miller’s refusal to leave the race.

In North Carolina, Edwards ended his re-election bid earlier this month after the Ethics Committee said he engaged in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers” and recommended that the House vote to censure him. Last week, GOP state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom was picked to replace Edwards in the House race. Race rater Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball downgraded the GOP’s chances of holding the district to “tossup” from “leans Republican.”

Gomez was the latest lawmaker to face a probe. On Monday, the Ethics Committee said it was investigating allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct, including “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.” Gomez said that he “made personal mistakes outside my marriage” but called his actions consensual and said they didn’t violate ethics rules. Under California’s election rules in which the top two primary finishers advance regardless of party, he will face another Democrat, Angela Gonzales-Torres, in the November race.

The parties have accused each other of lacking a moral compass regarding the candidates. “Vulnerable Republicans who stood by these creeps should be ashamed of themselves, are unfit to serve and will lose their job in November,” said Viet Shelton of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella said that “nobody should take these Democrat slimeballs seriously when their supposed principles disappear the second they must answer for their scandal-plagued colleagues.”

The Ethics Committee moves at a deliberative pace and doesn’t give guidance on when it will resolve cases, which sometimes span years. In the past, members have left office before their cases were resolved. The committee declined to comment.

These scandals follow multiple Republican and Democratic House members resigning or dropping re-election plans after facing probes by the House panel. In April, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R., Texas) quit after admitting to an affair with a member of his staff who later died by suicide. Democrats now see a chance to pick up the seat after pro-gun YouTuber Brandon Herrera, known for controversial comments, won the GOP nomination, though the Republican remains favored.

Gonzales departed just as Rep. Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.) left Congress and the state governor race over allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and assault from multiple women. Swalwell denied the allegations. Another Democrat, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, also resigned that month over allegations of financial fraud, money laundering and campaign finance rule violations. She called the process a “witch hunt.” She is running Tuesday to win back a seat in Congress. Both the Swalwell and Cherfilus-McCormick seats are in solidly blue districts and are expected to stay in Democratic hands.