A series of serious allegations against GOP congressmen in key House districts have rattled party insiders, fueling Republicans’ anxiety that they could lose seats once considered mostly safe and further endanger their majority.

Scandals in Ohio and North Carolina

In the suburbs of Cleveland, Rep. Max Miller is facing allegations that he abused his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. Miller has denied the allegations, but the controversy has drawn attention from the president himself. Meanwhile, in western North Carolina, Rep. Chuck Edwards announced he would no longer seek re-election after the House Ethics Committee recommended a censure for him and found he acted inappropriately toward two female staffers in his office.

Democrats are hopeful about the North Carolina seat, given the short runway for a brand-new candidate to contest their own nominee. Miller, however, has defiantly pledged to stay in the race despite concerns from top GOP officials and the president that he may not be able to win in a district Trump won by more than 10 points.

Florida Investigation

Rep. Cory Mills of Florida is also under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which has authorized more than 20 subpoenas, collected thousands of documents, and contacted dozens of witnesses as it seeks to review allegations that Mills may have violated various rules, laws, or other standards of conduct.

These scandals have sparked anxiety among GOP leaders, who are working to contain the damage and prevent further losses. The party’s main campaign groups have not reserved any airtime to back up the embattled incumbents through November, but they may need to decide whether to send critical support to these candidates to protect their majority.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.