Vivek Ramaswamy campaign ad featuring Amy Acton mother draws criticism

Vivek Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign in Ohio released a $4 million attack ad featuring Democratic candidate Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar and urging voters not to support her. The commercial drew bipartisan criticism.

Governor DeWine Rebukes the Campaign Ad

Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine called the video deeply troubling and urged the Ramaswamy campaign to take it down, stating at the Ohio state capital that family members have historically been off limits. Despite his opposition to the commercial, DeWine declined to drop his endorsement of Ramaswamy, saying he wanted to support the “full ticket” of Republican candidates in the midterms.

Trump Defends the Commercial and Criticizes DeWine

President Donald Trump pushed back against the governor’s remarks on Truth Social, accusing DeWine of disloyalty to the Republican party. Trump initially stated at the White House he “didn’t know anything about it” but heard “the mother went very rogue on the daughter,” describing it as a “very unusual situation.”

Vice President Vance Dismisses Republican Criticism

Vice President JD Vance defended the gubernatorial nominee during a campaign stop in Cincinnati, telling reporters he was “a little bit disgusted” when he saw Republicans across the country “whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America.” Vance later told a rally crowd that Ramaswamy “had the audacity to run a TV commercial which calls it out like it is and calls Amy Acton a liar.”

Democratic Candidate Responds as Pritzker Contributes Funds

Amy Acton has said she has not seen her mother Donna Arthur for decades, after she married a man who sexually abused her when she was 12 years old and stayed with him even after police stepped in. Her Democratic opponent, former senator Sherrod Brown, has called the video “disgusting”, and said all candidates should denounce it. Meanwhile, Illinois first lady MK Pritzker announced a $500,000 contribution to support Acton’s campaign and the Ohio Democratic Party, stating that Ramaswamy’s campaign exploits a highly qualified woman’s pain for political gain.

Midterm Election Details and Campaign Spending

Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed its involvement in producing the video after it began circulating on social media and announced a $4 million spend to air the ad across the state. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s custody in 1978 after their stepfather was indicted on charges that he sexually assaulted Acton. The midterm election is Nov. 3.

More on this story: Ramaswamy Campaign Ad Deepens GOP Panic in Ohio Governor Race · JD Vance Defends Vivek Ramaswamy Over Controversial Ohio Campaign Ad