Ramaswamy Faces Backlash Over Acton Attack Ad in Ohio Governor Race

A campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton has intensified tensions in Ohio's gubernatorial race, drawing criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy acknowledged that his campaign produced the video and pledged $4 million to broadcast it further, despite criticism over its use of a deeply personal family dispute.

The advertisement features Donna Arthur urging Ohio voters not to elect her daughter. It does not mention Acton's allegation that she was raped by her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, approximately 40 years ago, when she was 12. He was arrested and charged in 1978 but was never prosecuted. He died in 2004, according to the BBC's reporting.

Arthur makes a direct accusation against her daughter in the advertisement.

"She's lied her entire life," Donna Arthur says in the video.

Acton and her brother were removed from their mother's custody after Cledith Arthur's arrest. Acton told Ohio news outlet The Vindicator that she last spoke to her mother at that time, after the Arthurs left Ohio.

Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, condemned the use of the alleged abuse in political campaigning.

Stearns described the treatment of the alleged sexual assault as "a political talking point" and called it a "despicable low".

Acton's campaign responded by releasing its own advertisement on Tuesday. The 30-second video features Stearns describing the abuse he and his sister experienced during childhood.

"Amy always got the worst of it," Stearns says in the campaign video.

Stearns also directly criticized Ramaswamy and his approach to the campaign.

"Shame on Vivek," he says.

In the same advertisement, Stearns accused the Republican candidate of showing contempt for both his sister and Ohio residents.

"It's the contempt he has for Amy. It's the contempt he has for Ohio," Stearns says.

The controversy has also drawn criticism from prominent political figures. New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the advertisement in a social media post.

Hochul called it "an abhorrent attack".

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, also criticized Ramaswamy's campaign tactics.

Pritzker said Ramaswamy "has reached a new low by launching these vile and false attacks".

Nikki Haley, who competed against Ramaswamy for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, also criticized the advertisement.

Haley said "he's a bad guy. It's a shame he continues to get away with it".

Vice-President JD Vance declined to offer a direct judgment when the BBC asked whether the advertisement was appropriate. He instead emphasized the broader question of who would lead the next generation of American government.

"It's not really my concern," Vance said.

Vance then explained what he considered more important in the gubernatorial contest.

"What is my concern is who's going to govern the next generation of American government," he said.

Ramaswamy's campaign initially released the video on social media Monday evening without identifying who paid for or authorized it. He confirmed on Tuesday that his campaign was responsible and subsequently pledged $4 million, equivalent to approximately £2.9 million, for additional broadcasts.

A campaign spokesman reiterated the advertisement's accusations against Acton in a statement to CBS News, the BBC's US partner. However, the spokesman acknowledged uncertainty about the relationship between the Democratic candidate and her mother.

"We don't know what happened between Amy and her mother," the campaign spokesman said.

Political science professor David Lublin of American University's School of Public Affairs said attack advertisements have become more aggressive, with campaigns increasingly willing to target personal matters rather than political disagreements.

Lublin said political attacks "have become more intense, and the boundaries have stretched in terms of what one attacks about".

He noted that campaigns have previously involved relatives in efforts to challenge political opponents, including family members who testified against Robert F Kennedy Jr before his confirmation as health secretary. However, Lublin distinguished those cases from the Ohio advertisement because the estrangement at its center involves an allegation of sexual assault.

"But this is of a different order," Lublin said.

He then explained the distinction between the Ohio dispute and other political controversies involving family members.

"They're estranged not over policy but over a rape allegation," Lublin said.

Lublin also linked the broader deterioration in political discourse to President Donald Trump's rhetoric and campaign practices. He cited an incident in which Trump appeared to mock a reporter with a disability in Ohio.

"We live in an age where certainly many candidates can appear mean and even inappropriate at times," Lublin said.

He explained that attack advertisements can aim to reduce participation among an opponent's supporters rather than persuade those voters to change their political preferences.

"The key purpose of attack ads isn't necessarily to convert the followers of your opponent, but more to depress their turnout," Lublin said.

Despite that strategy, Lublin expects the advertisement to risk damaging Ramaswamy's campaign. He suggested the decision could reflect an effort to shift momentum as the contest becomes more competitive, although a Democrat has not won Ohio's governorship in more than two decades.

The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election analysis organization, changed its assessment of the race from "leans Republican" to "toss up", indicating a more competitive contest.