Ohio Republicans Divided Over Campaign Ad Targeting Democratic Candidate Amy Acton

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said Thursday that Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy should remove a campaign advertisement featuring Democratic candidate Amy Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who calls Acton a liar in the video.

Reactions and Divisions

The ad first appeared on social media on Monday night and was confirmed as an official campaign spot by Ramaswamy on Tuesday. DeWine called the video deeply troubling, pointing to backstory allegations of abuse and neglect that make the ad even more wrong, though he stated he is not withdrawing his endorsement of Ramaswamy. In contrast, Vice President JD Vance told fellow Republicans on Wednesday to stop whining about the advertisement and focus on winning the race in 13 days. Other prominent Republicans expressed varied stances. Ohio Senator Jon Husted stated he would not have run the ad, while former Republican Representative Jim Renacci warned that Republicans failing to distance themselves from it risk taking on water. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley criticized Ramaswamy on social media, calling him a bad guy, and President Donald Trump stated he knew nothing about the ad while calling it a very unusual situation.

Campaign Defense and Background

Ramaswamy campaign spokesperson Connie Luck defended the spot, stating that Acton's mother is speaking out about a clear pattern of lying rather than abuse. Ramaswamy also defended the content, saying people who know her best have told voters to support him instead. Acton responded on CNN that she had hoped Ramaswamy would not sink that low, adding that the ad crossed every boundary. Court documents show Arthur was charged with raping Acton in 1978 when Acton was between 10 and 12 years old, though the case never went to trial after the stepfather left the area.

Context

Campaign advertisements involving family members and personal disputes are rare and often spark sharp debates over political boundaries. High-profile political figures frequently hold differing views on campaign tactics used by candidates within their own party.