Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has called for Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign to remove a new advertisement that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. The ad, released this week as part of the campaign for the November midterm elections, has drawn public comment from politicians in both parties.
During a press conference on Thursday, DeWine described the campaign ad as “deeply, deeply troubling” and stated it was “wrong” for the Ramaswamy campaign to have run it. The outgoing Republican governor confirmed, however, that he would not rescind his endorsement of Ramaswamy.
The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, who calls her daughter a “liar.” In response, Acton’s campaign provided a statement with background information, noting that Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s care when Acton was 12.
On Wednesday, Acton addressed the ad while speaking to a group of voters, stating that Ramaswamy should not have “exploited” her mother. A statement released by Acton’s campaign from her brother described the ad as a “despicable low.”
The ad has generated differing responses from other prominent Republicans. At a campaign event for Ramaswamy in Cincinnati on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance addressed the criticism. He said his message for fellow Republicans was to “stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days.” Vance stated he would not weigh in on whether the ad was “appropriate or not.”
Conversely, South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace criticized the ad, calling it the “most shameful, disgusting, offensive ad this election season.”
Following the ad’s release, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, an election analysis newsletter published by the University of Virginia Center for Politics, updated its rating of the Ohio gubernatorial race. The forecaster shifted the race from “Toss Up” to “Leans Democratic.”
