DeWine Calls on Ramaswamy to Pull Ad Featuring Acton’s Estranged Mother as Trump Backs the Spot

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday urged Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy to take down a campaign ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother, calling the spot deeply troubling and wrong. The Ramaswamy Acton ad controversy escalated within hours when former President Donald Trump publicly backed the ad and accused DeWine of disloyalty to the Republican Party.

The ad and the family history behind it

The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, calling her daughter a liar and unfit for office. Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor, says she has not seen her mother in decades. She has said her mother stayed with a man who sexually abused Acton when she was 12 years old.

Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, said he and Acton were removed from their mother’s custody after their stepfather’s arrest. In a statement, Stearns called the ad a despicable low for Ramaswamy.

The ad began circulating on social media earlier this week, and Ramaswamy’s campaign later confirmed to Ohio media that it had produced the spot. The campaign said it would spend $4 million to air the ad statewide.

DeWine's objection: family members historically off limits

Speaking at the state capital on Thursday, DeWine said the ad crossed a line. He noted that family members have historically been off limits in political campaigns and asked the Ramaswamy campaign to remove the spot.

DeWine is Ohio’s outgoing Republican governor and has endorsed Ramaswamy in the governor’s race. Despite his criticism of the ad, DeWine declined to withdraw that endorsement, saying he wanted to support the full Republican ticket.

Trump weighs in on Truth Social

Trump responded Thursday afternoon on Truth Social, urging Ramaswamy to keep airing the ad. He accused DeWine of disloyalty to the Republican Party and said the governor probably wants a Democratic winner.

Trump also said Acton is fair game and that the press has ganged up on her mother. His post called Acton defective, dishonest and incapable.

Ramaswamy campaign defends the spot

Ramaswamy’s spokesperson, Connie Luck, cited a media double standard and said voters should not buy it. The campaign has accused Democrats of using Republicans’ family members in ads. Acton earlier mentioned Ramaswamy’s mother’s alleged involvement in a pump and dump scheme.

Other Ohio political figures react

Sen. JD Vance, speaking to reporters in Cincinnati on Wednesday, said the ad’s appropriateness was not his concern. He criticized Republicans who focus on the ad, saying he was disgusted by their whining and that politics is a tough business.

Jon Husted, who faces a Senate race that could decide chamber control, said he would not have run the ad. Sen. Sherrod Brown called the video disgusting and urged all candidates to denounce it. Frank LaRose said he probably would not run such an ad but that candidates decide.

Election context and what remains unclear

Acton leads Ramaswamy in recent polls ahead of the 3 November midterm elections. The exact date the ad first aired and whether it is still running after DeWine’s request were not immediately clear. The full text of the ad and the margin of Acton’s polling lead were also not specified.

DeWine’s endorsement of Ramaswamy remains in place, and it was not clear whether Trump’s post changed that. Ramaswamy had not directly responded to DeWine’s request as of Thursday.