Ramaswamy’s Ohio Attack Ad Risks Backfiring as Race Tightens
WHO:
CNN - Ramaswamy’s 2024 presidential campaign featured him frequently defending Trump and clashing with other Republican candidates.
CNN - Some Ramaswamy supporters said they remained angry at Acton over her role in Ohio’s COVID-19 response.
CNN - At a Friday event, Joan Smith said she would keep supporting Ramaswamy despite disliking the ad; Joyce Tedrick said she had “no concerns” about it.
CNN - Ramaswamy said, “A mother is saying, ‘Don’t put my daughter there because she’s a terrible person and she’s a liar,’” and asked, “Why shouldn’t somebody use that?”
CNN - Ramaswamy said he had never met or spoken to Acton’s mother and repeated his criticism of Acton’s credibility when questioned about whether he doubted her abuse account.
CNN - Ramaswamy said the ad’s standard was consistent with political advertising the media accepts and that voters should decide for themselves.
CNN - Ramaswamy said the ad had “nothing, nothing to do with childhood abuse, sexual abuse.”
CNN - Trump said that even a “smidgeon of truth” in Acton’s mother’s claims should disqualify Acton from serving as governor.
CNN - Trump said he had helped convince Ramaswamy to proceed with the ad; he also praised Acton’s mother for her “courage” and said even a small amount of truth in her claims should disqualify Acton from serving as governor.
CNN - Vance told Republicans to “stop whining” about the ad and focus on winning the elections.
CNN - Ramaswamy said he had never met or spoken to Acton’s mother.
CNN - Republican Ken Paxton was in a tight race to defend his Texas Senate seat.
CNN - Rudy Giuliani married his second cousin.
Al Jazeera - Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, remained married to Acton’s stepfather until his death.
Alternet - New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie said the cruelty associated with Trump may be perceived by some voters as a joke, while similar attacks by Ramaswamy “just seem mean.”
CNN - Independent voter Kari Freudenberger, a 47-year-old substitute teacher and social worker from Madeira, said the ad made her less likely to vote for Ramaswamy.
CNN - Republican voter Cherise Wilson, a 48-year-old nurse near Cincinnati, said she was “torn” about the race and the ad.
CNN - An unnamed 57-year-old independent voter and chemist said the advertising turned him off and left him unsure whom to support.
CNN - Republican voter Joan Smith said she disliked the ad but would continue supporting Ramaswamy; Joyce Tedrick said she had “no concerns” about it.
Al Jazeera - University of Cincinnati political science professor David Niven called the ad unusually personal and said it reflected a divide between traditional Republicans and Trump- and Vance-aligned Republicans.
CNN - Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican businessman and former biotechnology executive, is the Republican nominee for Ohio governor; he unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 and later endorsed Trump.
CNN - Amy Acton, a physician and former director of the Ohio Department of Health, is the Democratic candidate for governor. She led Ohio’s COVID-19 response under Gov. Mike DeWine.
Al Jazeera - Ramaswamy, 41, and Acton, 60, have not previously held elected office; both were born and raised in Ohio.
Al Jazeera - Acton’s estranged mother is identified as Donna Arthur; Acton’s brother is Phil Stearns.
CNN - President Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended Ramaswamy’s ad. DeWine, Sen. Jon Husted and Secretary of State Frank LaRose criticized or distanced themselves from it.
CNN - Other Republicans criticizing the ad included Iowa GOP Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Al Jazeera - DeWine endorsed Ramaswamy while calling for the ad to be withdrawn.
WHAT:
CNN - Trump said he knew “nothing about” the alleged child sexual abuse while praising Acton’s mother for speaking out.
CNN - Trump repeatedly defended the ad when reporters questioned him about the alleged abuse.
CNN - The article said Republican polling leads were more common than Democratic leads across several races, although many polls were within the margin of error.
CNN - At a pancake breakfast in Strongsville, Joan Smith said she hoped the ad would be taken off the air, calling it a “shocker” and saying, “That wasn’t necessary.”
CNN - Ramaswamy said his campaign’s ad was “absolutely acceptable” political advertising and that voters should decide for themselves.
CNN - CNN reported that more polls showed Democrats numerically leading Republicans in several races, though many results were within the margin of error.
Al Jazeera - Acton would become Ohio’s first Democratic governor in 20 years if elected.
CNN - Kari Freudenberger described the ad as “heinous and horrible” and said it showed a judgment of character she did not want in politics.
CNN - Gov. Mike DeWine said, “The ad on its face is deeply, deeply troubling,” adding that knowing the rest of the story made it “just more wrong.”
CNN - Ramaswamy said the ad had “nothing, nothing to do with childhood abuse, sexual abuse.”
CNN - Vance told Republicans to stop criticizing the ad; CNN also reported that he joked about Democratic Texas Senate nominee James Talarico’s sexuality.
CNN - GOP former Rep. Mike Rogers’ Michigan Senate campaign ran an ad accusing Abdul El-Sayed of supporting terrorists; CNN said the ad distorted the facts.
CNN - A GOP congressional candidate and the national GOP ran an ad that appeared to use AI to depict her opponent dancing with drag queens.
CNN - The Senate Leadership Fund ran a radio ad attacking Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson over reports about his longtime partner; Sen. Susan Collins called for the ad to be taken down.
CNN - Ramaswamy’s campaign ran an ad featuring Arthur calling Acton a liar and urging voters not to elect her. The ad also challenged Acton’s account of childhood homelessness.
Al Jazeera - Arthur says in the ad, “Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar. She lies about her past,” and suggests Acton has a mental illness.
CNN - Acton’s campaign released a response ad featuring Stearns describing childhood abuse and saying, “Shame on Vivek.”
Al Jazeera - Stearns said, “I received a lot of abuse, but Amy always got the worst of it.”
CNN - Ramaswamy’s campaign announced it would spend $4 million promoting the ad.
Al Jazeera - The Cook Political Report changed its assessment of the governor’s race from a toss-up to leaning toward Acton, citing the ad’s fallout.
Al Jazeera - Acton received a $500,000 donation from MK Pritzker, wife of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
WHERE:
CNN - Ramaswamy announced the ad was from his campaign after a town hall in the Columbus area.
CNN - The article described Texas Senate nominee James Talarico as facing a debunked conspiracy theory claiming he had been to a mental hospital.
CNN - The article described additional contentious campaigns in Texas, Michigan, North Carolina and Maine.
CNN - The governor’s race is in Ohio, a state Trump won by 11 percentage points in 2024.
Al Jazeera - Acton was raised in Youngstown; CNN reported voter interviews in Cincinnati and Strongsville.
WHEN:
CNN - DeWine criticized the ad on Thursday; Smith and Tedrick discussed it at campaign events on Friday.
Al Jazeera - The article describes the election as the November 3 midterm elections.
CNN - The ad surfaced online Monday night; Ramaswamy’s campaign identified it as its ad Tuesday and announced the $4 million spending plan later that evening.
CNN - Trump said Thursday that he had encouraged Ramaswamy to continue running the ad.
WHY:
Alternet - New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie said Trump’s cruelty may be treated by some voters as a joke because they see him as a celebrity entertainer, while similar behavior from Ramaswamy “just seems mean.”
Alternet - Bouie said Vance may be trying to become the MAGA standard-bearer by embracing exceptional cruelty.
Alternet - Bouie speculated that Vance’s personal resentment toward his mother and views about family structure could shape his reaction to Acton.
Alternet - Michael Wolff said Trump and Vance appeared to believe that “the illiberal and the cold-hearted” and “owning the libs” work politically.
Alternet - Wolff described the ad as a “Hail Mary pass” by Republicans in close races, seeking to return to tactics he said had worked for them.
CNN - Ramaswamy’s campaign said the ad was acceptable political advertising and argued voters should judge the allegations themselves.
Al Jazeera - Political advertising expert Jerry Miller said negative attacks can energize supporters but risk alienating voters and generating empathy for opponents.
HOW:
CNN - D.J. Byrnes said he obtained the ad recording from a voter who had seen it in a poll and recorded it.
CNN - Ramaswamy’s campaign announced responsibility for the ad about five hours after issuing a statement that did not say whether it had produced it.
CNN - The leaked ad initially had no disclaimer identifying who was behind it; Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed responsibility after the video surfaced.
Al Jazeera - Political blogger D.J. Byrnes, known as “The Rooster,” told CNN he obtained a recording of the ad from a voter who saw it in a poll.
Al Jazeera - Acton was removed from her mother’s custody when she was 12, after her stepfather was charged with raping her. He pleaded not guilty, failed to appear in court and was never tried; Acton and her brother have publicly described childhood abuse.
Al Jazeera - Court records and contemporaneous news reports support key parts of Acton’s childhood account; FactCheck.org found records connecting her stepfather to the campground where Acton said the family lived in a tent.
CNN - CNN’s Poll of Polls showed Acton leading 50% to 44%; the included surveys were conducted before the ad became news.
(UPDATED October 24, 2026 22:57 UTC)
Vivek Ramaswamy is facing backlash over a campaign ad targeting Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, featuring her estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling her a liar and challenging her account of childhood homelessness. Acton’s campaign responded with an ad in which her brother describes childhood abuse and says she suffered the worst of it. Ramaswamy says he has never met or spoken with Arthur, denies the ad concerns sexual abuse, and argues voters should judge it themselves. President Trump defended the ad and said even a “smidgeon of truth” in Arthur’s claims should disqualify Acton; Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop criticizing it. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called the ad deeply troubling, though he endorsed Ramaswamy. Voters are divided: some say it turns them away, while others remain supportive. The controversy has shifted a major race, with one ratings group moving it toward Acton.
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(UPDATED October 24, 2026 20:03 UTC)
A deeply personal campaign ad by Republican Ohio gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy has drawn sharp criticism from both parties. Featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, the ad calls Acton a liar and challenges her account of childhood homelessness. Acton’s brother, Phil Stearns, responded in a campaign ad, describing abuse in their childhood and saying Acton suffered most. Ramaswamy called his ad acceptable political advertising, while President Trump said he encouraged him to run it and praised Arthur’s courage. Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop complaining and focus on winning. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called the ad deeply troubling and urged its withdrawal, though he endorsed Ramaswamy. Some voters said the attack made them less likely to support him; others remained supportive or undecided. Acton, a physician who led Ohio’s COVID-19 response, is the Democratic nominee. The contest has become a flashpoint over increasingly personal campaign tactics.
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(UPDATED October 24, 2026 19:03 UTC)
A personal attack ad in Ohio’s governor’s race is drawing criticism and unsettling some voters. Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign features Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling the Democratic candidate a liar and questioning her childhood account; the campaign says the ad is acceptable and unrelated to abuse. Acton’s response features her brother describing abuse in their childhood, and public records support key parts of her account. Ramaswamy’s campaign plans to spend $4 million promoting the ad. Independent voter Kari Freudenberger said it made her less likely to support him, while some Republicans remain behind him. Governor Mike DeWine called the ad deeply troubling, though he has endorsed Ramaswamy; President Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended it. The Cook Political Report shifted its race assessment toward Acton, while pre-ad polling showed her leading 50 to 44 percent.
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(UPDATED October 24, 2026 13:04 UTC)
Ohio’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, Vivek Ramaswamy, is facing backlash over a campaign ad attacking Democratic candidate Amy Acton’s account of her childhood. The ad features Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling her a liar and questioning her mental health. Acton’s response ad features her brother, Phil Stearns, describing abuse they experienced and criticizing Ramaswamy. Acton was removed from her mother’s custody at age 12 after her stepfather was charged with raping her; records support key parts of her childhood account. Ramaswamy’s campaign says voters should judge the claims and plans to spend $4 million promoting the ad. President Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended it, while Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and other Republicans criticized it; DeWine still endorsed Ramaswamy and called for the ad to be withdrawn.