Ohio Governor Race: Ramaswamy Removes Ad Using Acton's Mother

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, removed a campaign ad featuring his Democratic opponent’s estranged mother. A spokesperson for Dr. Amy Acton’s campaign confirmed the pull on Thursday, October 29.

The advertisement showed Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, describing her daughter as a liar. Arthur also stated that Acton “has a serious problem.” According to the campaign, Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband, who was their stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton when she was a child.

The decision to take the ad off the air followed criticism from across the political spectrum. Current Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, labeled the spot “deeply disturbing.” He urged the campaign to remove it from circulation.

Acton’s team responded to the removal with a statement from spokesperson Addie Bullock. Bullock said Ramaswamy should never have run the ad and described the withdrawal as cowardly. She noted that the candidate did not offer an apology to Acton, her family, or Ohio residents.

Bullock characterized Ramaswamy as an out-of-touch billionaire willing to harm anyone to achieve his goals. She cited the incident as a reason for voters to reject him and the private jet he flew in on next Tuesday.

In an interview with 13 Action News, Acton reiterated that the ad was despicable. She added that her mother is not well and that the last time she spoke to her was at age 12, when officials removed her from her mother’s custody.