Ramaswamy stands by attack ad using Acton's birth mother ahead of Ohio vote
Synopsis
Vivek Ramaswamy's Ohio governor campaign is doubling down on an attack ad that uses Amy Acton's estranged birth mother — who Acton says abused her as a child — to call her 'a liar.' With $4 million behind the ad, bipartisan criticism mounting, and Barack Obama joining Acton in Cleveland days before the 3 November vote, the race has become one of the most watched state contests in the country.
Key Takeaways
Vivek Ramaswamy 's Ohio governor campaign confirmed it produced an attack ad featuring Amy Acton 's estranged birth mother, Donna Arthur , calling Acton 'a liar.' The campaign plans to spend $4 million promoting the ad online and on television; Arthur was reportedly not paid.
Acton says she was removed from her birth mother at age 12 'for severe abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse.' The ad drew bipartisan condemnation; former Republican rival Casey Putsch said he would vote for Acton.
More than 676,000 Ohioans have already cast early ballots ahead of the 3 November general election.
Former President Barack Obama is set to rally with Acton in Cleveland on 24 October .
Indian-American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign for Ohio governor is standing firm behind a one-minute attack advertisement in which Democratic rival Amy Acton's estranged birth mother calls her 'a liar' — even as Vice President J.D. Vance campaigned for Ramaswamy in suburban Cincinnati on Wednesday, 22 October. The ad has become one of the most contested moments in the 3 November general election race.
The Ad and Its Origins
The Ramaswamy campaign confirmed it produced the advertisement featuring Donna Arthur, Acton's birth mother. Campaign spokesperson Connie Luck said Arthur was not paid for her appearance, and that the campaign plans to spend $4 million promoting the ad across online platforms and television, according to reports.
Acton has said she was removed from her birth mother at the age of 12 'for severe abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse,' according to reports. PolitiFact reviewed the claims made in the ad on Wednesday, examining the long-running dispute between Acton and her birth mother over her childhood.
Sharp Backlash Across Party Lines
The advertisement drew rare bipartisan condemnation. Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown called it 'disgusting,' while commentator Meghan McCain described it as 'dastardly,' according to reports. Perhaps most strikingly, Casey Putsch, a former Republican rival of Ramaswamy's, said he would vote for Acton in response to the ad.
Vance, however, defended the campaign's approach at a rally in Sharonville on Wednesday, saying the campaign 'told it like it is,' according to public radio stations WYSO and WVXU. A heckler was removed from the event, the stations reported.
Ramaswamy's Pitch on Policy — and on X
At the Sharonville rally, Ramaswamy did not mention Acton by name, instead focusing on his policy agenda: zero state income tax, lower electricity bills, property-tax cuts, and support for the steel industry, according to the Dayton Daily News.
On X, however, Ramaswamy accused Acton of 'hiding from debate' and claimed she 'bans cameras' at her events. He also posted a video titled 'A strong message to Republicans' and shared a segment by broadcaster Megyn Kelly on Acton.
Race Context and Stakes
The controversy arrives at a critical juncture: more than 676,000 Ohioans have already cast early ballots, according to reports, suggesting the ad could influence a significant bloc of voters still making up their minds. A recent Marist poll has shown the race to be closely contested.
Former President Barack Obama is due to join Brown and Acton at a rally in Cleveland on 24 October, according to WYSO — a signal that Democrats regard the Ohio governor's race as genuinely competitive in a state that has trended Republican in recent cycles.
Who Is Vivek Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur born in Cincinnati to immigrant parents originally from Kerala, ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 before endorsing Donald Trump. He briefly co-led the Department of Government Efficiency alongside Elon Musk before launching his gubernatorial bid. Acton, a physician, served as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ohio votes in the general election on 3 November.
Point of View
Not an oversight — and the $4 million spend signals the campaign believes the controversy will energise its base more than it alienates swing voters. The bipartisan recoil, including from a fellow Republican who now backs Acton, suggests that calculus may be flawed. More telling is what Ramaswamy did at his own rally: he said nothing about the ad or Acton, pivoting entirely to tax cuts and steel. That split-screen — scorched-earth on X and in ads, policy-focused on stage — points to a campaign trying to run two simultaneous messages, a strategy that rarely survives contact with a single news cycle. With Obama arriving in Cleveland and 676,000 early ballots already cast, the window to course-correct is narrow.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ramaswamy attack ad about?
The ad features Donna Arthur, Amy Acton's estranged birth mother, who calls Acton 'a liar.' Acton has said she was removed from her birth mother at age 12 due to severe abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse. The Ramaswamy campaign confirmed it produced the ad and plans to spend $4 million promoting it.
How has the ad been received?
Reaction has been sharply negative across party lines. Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown called it 'disgusting,' commentator Meghan McCain described it as 'dastardly,' and former Republican rival Casey Putsch said he would vote for Acton as a result. Vice President J.D. Vance was a notable exception, defending the ad at a Sharonville rally.
When is the Ohio governor election?
Ohio holds its general election on 3 November. More than 676,000 Ohioans have already cast early ballots, making the current campaign moment particularly consequential.
Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?
Ramaswamy is an Indian-American biotech entrepreneur born in Cincinnati to parents from Kerala. He ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, endorsed Donald Trump, and briefly co-led the Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk before launching his bid for Ohio governor.
