Ramaswamy Campaign to Spend $4 Million on Ad With Acton’s Estranged Mother

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is refusing to withdraw an attack ad featuring his estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who calls Democratic rival Amy Acton a liar and urges voters not to elect her; the campaign plans to spend $4 million airing it statewide. The ad disputes Acton’s account of childhood homelessness, while Acton has said her stepfather sexually abused her and her mother failed to protect her; accounts say Acton became estranged from her mother after her stepfather was charged with raping her when she was 12, and her brother, Philip Stearns, has supported her account. Arthur’s claims in the ad have not been independently verified, and Stearns has said their mother remained with the stepfather after his arrest. Acton and her brother condemned the ad as exploiting her childhood trauma, drawing bipartisan criticism including from Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, with critics warning it could alienate voters and hurt Republicans in other Ohio races; the campaign says the ad tested well with persuadable voters. Ramaswamy says the ad concerns alleged dishonesty, not Acton’s childhood abuse, and has accused critics and the media of changing the subject; President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended him, with Trump urging him to keep the ad running, while Vance has criticized Republicans for focusing on the ad.