COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday to pull a statewide campaign commercial that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, calling her a liar.
Speaking at a news conference at the Ohio Statehouse, the term-limited Republican governor described the commercial as “deeply, deeply troubling” and “wrong” in light of Acton’s family history, NBC News reported. Despite the reprimand, DeWine affirmed that he would continue supporting Ramaswamy, whom he endorsed to succeed him, telling reporters he remains committed to backing the entire Republican slate.
A painful family history surfaces
The controversy centers on a minute-long commercial backed by a $4 million statewide broadcast buy, in which Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, accuses her daughter of lying about her past and urges Ohioans to vote against her. The ad does not mention that Arthur’s late husband was indicted by a grand jury in 1978 on charges of raping a 12-year-old girl, an incident tied to Acton’s childhood.
Court records show the stepfather, Cledith Arthur, pleaded not guilty, skipped court while out on bond, and fled the area before dying in 2004 without facing trial, Radar Online and CBS News reported. Acton has stated that she has not spoken to or seen her mother since a 1978 court appearance. DeWine, drawing on his past experience as a prosecutor, told reporters that the historical context makes the commercial even more inappropriate.
Acton denounced the spot Wednesday evening, calling it “despicable” during a campaign stop, the BBC reported. Her campaign released a response video featuring her brother, Philip Stearns, who corroborated the childhood abuse and criticized Ramaswamy for turning their trauma into a political talking point. In an interview on CNN, Acton said the commercial crossed boundaries that had never been breached before in Ohio politics.
GOP divided in final campaign stretch
The dispute has laid bare fissures among prominent Republicans less than two weeks before voters head to the polls on Nov. 3. Vice President JD Vance pushed back against criticism of the commercial during a campaign appearance Wednesday in Cincinnati, telling reporters that politics is tough and urging fellow Republicans to “stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race,” CBS News reported.
Other Republicans expressed deep discomfort with the tactic. Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio said he would not have aired the commercial, according to The Associated Press. Former Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci wrote on social media that the party’s gubernatorial campaign risked losing ground and warned fellow Republicans to keep their distance from the spot.
President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that he knew nothing about the ad, while former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley criticized Ramaswamy on social media, CBS News reported.
Campaign stands behind the broadcast
Ramaswamy defended the messaging, telling reporters that individuals who know Acton best are advising voters to reject her. His campaign spokesperson, Connie Luck, maintained the ad highlights Acton’s truthfulness rather than past trauma, arguing that Acton previously targeted Ramaswamy’s mother in campaign messaging.
The commercial has sparked wider repercussions across the state. The Columbus Dispatch editorial board endorsed Acton following the ad’s debut, and MK Pritzker, the wife of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, announced a $500,000 contribution to Acton’s campaign, the BBC reported. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose confirmed his office is examining complaints regarding whether the initial release violated election rules by omitting an official funding disclaimer.
With early voting underway, Ramaswamy’s campaign has given no indication that it intends to remove the ad from the airwaves before Election Day.
