Vivek Ramaswamy Attack Ad Featuring Amy Acton's Mother Leaves Ohio Airwaves
Vivek Ramaswamy confirmed the commercial completed its run, while Amy Acton's campaign criticized the removal as cowardly.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed Thursday that an advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton is leaving the state's airwaves.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at an Ohio campaign rally in the closing days of the 2026 election.
Credit: Jon Cherry / AP via NBC News Image source
Ramaswamy confirmed at an Oct. 29 campaign stop in Vandalia that the ad was no longer airing, stating, “It ran to completion, and we've put up four other ads.”
Acton campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock condemned the commercial and its removal on Thursday, stating that Ramaswamy took the spot off the air in the most cowardly way possible without an apology. During a Tuesday campaign appearance in Youngstown, Acton called the commercial despicable while expressing gratitude for the support and love she received from Ohioans.
The Ramaswamy campaign said the broadcast was backed by $4 million in airtime, beginning as a minutelong spot before being shortened to a 30-second version. In the commercial, Acton's mother Donna Arthur calls her daughter a liar and urges Ohioans not to vote for her, while Acton has said she has not seen Arthur since her stepfather was charged nearly 50 years ago with child rape.
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 21 that Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop whining about the commercial, on Oct. 22 that Gov. Mike DeWine called for Ramaswamy to withdraw the ad, and on Oct. 24 that Ramaswamy defended the broadcast at the Circleville Pumpkin Show.
Many, including term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who has endorsed Ramaswamy, had called on him to take down the ad. President Donald Trump defended Ramaswamy's ad at an Oct. 28 rally in Chillicothe, telling thousands of supporters that Ramaswamy was treated very unfairly after having the mother of his opponent say that her daughter was a liar.
Ramaswamy avoided mentioning the commercial during his Chillicothe speech and focused instead on slashing property taxes and banning sanctuary cities, followed by an Oct. 29 proposal to investigate localities where property taxes have doubled. “For all of the discussion around 30-second ads, I would love even for this final close, for this campaign to really be about policy, about what are we going to do to fight for Ohioans?” Ramaswamy said in Vandalia.
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The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Supporting evidence (6)
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed Thursday that an advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton is leaving the state's airwaves.
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Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad featuring the estranged mother of Amy Acton, his Democratic opponent for Ohio governor, is leaving the state’s airwaves, the Ramaswamy campaign confirmed Thursday.
Acton campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock condemned the commercial and its removal on Thursday, stating that Ramaswamy took the spot off the air in the most cowardly way possible without an apology.
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“Vivek Ramaswamy should never have run his despicable ad in the first place, and it’s totally unsurprising that he took it off the air in the most cowardly way possible, without even the hint of an apology to Dr. Acton, her family, or to the people of Ohio,” Acton campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock said in a statement Thursday.
During a Tuesday campaign appearance in Youngstown, Acton called the commercial despicable while expressing gratitude for the support and love she received from Ohioans.
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“I’m learning things even about my childhood right now that I did not know,” Acton told reporters Tuesday during a campaign stop in Youngstown. “I think it is despicable. … I’m sure someday I’ll unpack everything that I’m learning here. But I’m just grateful to Ohioans and everyone, really so much support and love that we’ve received.”
The Ramaswamy campaign said the broadcast was backed by $4 million in airtime, beginning as a minutelong spot before being shortened to a 30-second version.
Read supporting passage
The Ramaswamy campaign said last week that the ad would be backed by $4 million in airtime. It began as a minutelong spot but was eventually shortened to a 30-second version.
In the commercial, Acton's mother Donna Arthur calls her daughter a liar and urges Ohioans not to vote for her, while Acton has said she has not seen Arthur since her stepfather was charged nearly 50 years ago with child rape.
Read supporting passage
In the now-completed ad campaign, Donna Arthur — the mother whom Acton says she has not seen since her then-stepfather was charged with raping her as a young child nearly 50 years ago — calls her daughter a liar and urges Ohioans not to vote for her.
Many, including term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who has endorsed Ramaswamy, had called on him to take down the ad.
https://www.aol.com/articles/ramaswamy-ad-actons-estranged-mother-200103000.html
Supporting evidence (4)
Ramaswamy confirmed at an Oct. 29 campaign stop in Vandalia that the ad was no longer airing, stating, “It ran to completion, and we've put up four other ads.”
Read supporting passage
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's ad featuring his opponent's estranged mother is no longer airing in Ohio. “It ran to completion, and we've put up four other ads,” Ramaswamy said at an Oct. 29 campaign stop in Vandalia.
President Donald Trump defended Ramaswamy's ad at an Oct. 28 rally in Chillicothe, telling thousands of supporters that Ramaswamy was treated very unfairly after having the mother of his opponent say that her daughter was a liar.
Read supporting passage
President Donald Trump defended Ramaswamy's ad as recently as Oct. 28 at his Chillicothe rally.“Vivek was treated very unfairly. He had the mother of his opponent say that her daughter was a liar," Trump told thousands of supporters.
Ramaswamy avoided mentioning the commercial during his Chillicothe speech and focused instead on slashing property taxes and banning sanctuary cities, followed by an Oct. 29 proposal to investigate localities where property taxes have doubled.
Read supporting passage
Ramaswamy didn't mention the ad during his remarks in Chillicothe, instead focusing on slashing property taxes and banning sanctuary cities. On Oct. 29, he announced a plan to investigate every locality where property taxes have more than doubled since before the pandemic.
“For all of the discussion around 30-second ads, I would love even for this final close, for this campaign to really be about policy, about what are we going to do to fight for Ohioans?”
Read supporting passage
"For all of the discussion around 30-second ads, I would love even for this final close, for this campaign to really be about policy, about what are we going to do to fight for Ohioans?" Ramaswamy said in Vandalia.
JD Vance Tells Republicans to Stop Whining About Ramaswamy Ad Targeting Acton
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 21 that Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop whining about the commercial, on Oct. 22 that Gov. Mike DeWine called for Ramaswamy to withdraw the ad, and on Oct. 24 that Ramaswamy defended the broadcast at the Circleville Pumpkin Show.
Read supporting passage
JD Vance Tells Republicans to Stop Whining About Ramaswamy Ad Targeting Acton
Gov. DeWine Urges Vivek Ramaswamy to Pull Attack Ad Featuring Amy Acton's Mother
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 21 that Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop whining about the commercial, on Oct. 22 that Gov. Mike DeWine called for Ramaswamy to withdraw the ad, and on Oct. 24 that Ramaswamy defended the broadcast at the Circleville Pumpkin Show.
Read supporting passage
Gov. DeWine Urges Vivek Ramaswamy to Pull Attack Ad Featuring Amy Acton's Mother
Vivek Ramaswamy Defends Attack Ad Targeting Amy Acton at Circleville Pumpkin Show
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 21 that Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop whining about the commercial, on Oct. 22 that Gov. Mike DeWine called for Ramaswamy to withdraw the ad, and on Oct. 24 that Ramaswamy defended the broadcast at the Circleville Pumpkin Show.
Read supporting passage
Vivek Ramaswamy Defends Attack Ad Targeting Amy Acton at Circleville Pumpkin Show