Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, running for governor of Ohio, has stopped airing a controversial television advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. The advertisement showed Donna Arthur calling her daughter a liar and urging voters not to support her. Acton and her mother have been estranged for nearly five decades.The family history behind the advertisement is particularly painful. In 1978, Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband was indicted for raping Acton, who was then 12 years old. Acton has said she has had no contact with her mother since that period.
Ramaswamy said Thursday that the advertisement had completed its planned run and that his campaign had replaced it with four other advertisements. His campaign had initially announced a $4 million advertising commitment, but AdImpact tracking data showed that approximately $1 million was spent on the two versions of the controversial spot.
The advertisement drew criticism from both parties. Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine called for it to be withdrawn, while Republican Senator Jon Husted said he would not have run it. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, however, defended Ramaswamy. Trump described the criticism as unfair and wrote that using such an advertisement was “hitting pay dirt.”
Acton's campaign said the advertisement should never have aired and criticized Ramaswamy for ending it without apologizing. The controversy has also raised concerns among Republicans about its possible effect on other candidates running on the Ohio ticket.
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