Video 0:47
Video
Vivek Ramaswamy Defends Controversial Amy Acton Ad at Pumpkin Show
Read the full articleRepublican Vivek Ramaswamy defended a controversial four million dollar attack ad against Democratic rival Amy Acton at the Circleville Pumpkin Show. The commercial has split Republicans, with Gov. Mike DeWine urging him to pull it while Donald Trump and JD Vance backed it.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Ramaswamy defends attack ad targeting Acton as backlash grows
Supporting evidence (2)
In Circleville, Ohio, Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy defended a controversial attack ad targeting Democratic opponent Amy Acton, despite criticism from Acton’s campaign and Gov. Mike DeWine.
Read supporting passage
CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is defending a controversial attack ad targeting Democratic opponent Amy Acton, despite criticism from Acton’s campaign, Gov. Mike DeWine and others.
In a campaign press release Friday, Acton’s campaign called the ad heinous and said Ohioans are speaking out against it.
Read supporting passage
In a campaign press release Friday, Acton’s campaign called the ad “heinous” and said Ohioans are speaking out against it.
Protestor and supporter react to Ramaswamy defending controversial ad during campaign stop
Supporting evidence (2)
At the Circleville Pumpkin Show, community members spoke out about the campaign ad against Acton, as protesters and supporters reacted during the campaign stop.
Read supporting passage
During a stop at the Circleville Pumpkin Show, people on both sides of the controversy spoke out about the campaign ad against Amy Acton.
At the Circleville Pumpkin Show, community members spoke out about the campaign ad against Acton, as protesters and supporters reacted during the campaign stop.
Read supporting passage
Protestor and supporter react to Ramaswamy defending controversial ad during campaign stop
Supporting evidence (5)
After the ad first circulated on social media with unclear funding, the Ramaswamy campaign took credit and spent $4 million to run it online and on TV.
Read supporting passage
The ad first circulated on social media with unclear funding. The Ramaswamy campaign has since taken credit and is spending $4 million to run it online and on TV.
Acton’s campaign and her brother Philip Stearns condemned the ad, noting their mother lost custody after Acton’s stepfather was charged with raping Acton at age 12.
Ramaswamy took aim at Acton during remarks at a pancake breakfast at a local bar on Pearl Road.
Read supporting passage
Ramaswamy took aim at his Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton during his remarks at a pancake breakfast at a local bar on Pearl Road.
Ramaswamy criticized Acton's record, calling her “somebody who has a chronic history of both lying and failing this state” and saying, “We will not reward that failure with a promotion.”
Read supporting passage
“Somebody who has a chronic history of both lying and failing this state, who quit on Ohio when times get tough. We will not reward that failure with a promotion.”
The ad has split Republicans, with current Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine calling it “deeply, deeply troubling” Thursday and urging Ramaswamy to take it down.
Read supporting passage
The ad has split Republicans, with current Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine calling it “deeply, deeply troubling” Thursday and urging the Ramaswamy to take it down.
Supporting evidence (9)
Acton is Ohio's former public health director and has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child.
She told Spectrum News, "I won't normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I'm complaining about."
Read supporting passage
"I won't normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I'm complaining about," she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.
The television advertisement features Acton's birth mother, Donna Arthur, criticizing her and insinuating she has mental health issues.
Read supporting passage
The advertisement features Acton's birth mother, Donna Arthur, criticizing her and insinuating she has mental health issues.
Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband, the children's stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton.
According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton's biological father reported him to authorities.
Cledith Arthur pleaded not guilty and was indicted by a grand jury that September, but he failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981 before later dying.
Read supporting passage
Cledith Arthur pleaded not guilty. He was indicted by a grand jury that September, but failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981. He has since died.
Speaking at a campaign stop in northeast Ohio, Ramaswamy said the advertisement had nothing to do with childhood abuse.
Read supporting passage
Speaking at a campaign stop in northeast Ohio, he said the advertisement, which features Acton's mother calling her "a liar," had nothing to do with childhood abuse.
DeWine criticized Ramaswamy and said the ad should be taken down, stating Thursday that it was wrong to run the ad.
Read supporting passage
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine criticized Ramaswamy and said the ad should be taken down. "It's wrong to run this ad," DeWine said Thursday.
At a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday, Donald Trump told the crowd Ramaswamy called him to ask for advice and recalled telling Ramaswamy to ride with the commercial.
Read supporting passage
At a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday, Trump told the crowd Ramaswamy called him to ask for advice. "You've got to ride with it," Trump recalled telling Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire and former presidential candidate.
Supporting evidence (1)
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday in Cincinnati, Vice President JD Vance told fellow elected Republicans to stop whining about the advertisement and win the race in 13 days.
Read supporting passage
“Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days,” Vance told reporters on Wednesday in Cincinnati.
JD Vance Tells Republicans to Stop Whining About Ramaswamy Ad Targeting Acton
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on Vance telling Republicans to stop whining about the ad targeting Acton and covered DeWine urging Ramaswamy to pull the ad featuring Acton's mother.
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 Vance telling Republicans to stop whining about the ad targeting Acton and covered DeWine urging Ramaswamy to pull the ad featuring Acton's mother.
Read supporting passage
Gov. DeWine Urges Vivek Ramaswamy to Pull Attack Ad Featuring Amy Acton's Mother