Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton calls attack ad featuring her estranged mother 'despicable'

Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, called an attack ad from her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy 'despicable' after it featured her estranged mother making claims against her.

The campaign ad shows Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, saying Acton 'lied her entire life' and 'needs help', but does not mention that Arthur's husband was charged with raping Acton when she was a child and that Acton and her brother were removed from Arthur's custody.

Acton made the comments at a campaign stop on Wednesday evening, stating: 'This is despicable, what he's done.'

The ad has drawn criticism from members of both political parties. President Donald Trump defended the advertisement on social media, while Ohio Governor Mike DeWine reportedly described it as 'deeply troubling' and called for its removal.

DeWine, a Republican who endorsed Ramaswamy, faces an unusual position as he seeks to replace him after the controversy.

'I've never attacked his family. I would never do that,' Acton said about Ramaswamy at the campaign event. 'You can see that there are so many people who have experienced trauma and abuse in their lives,' she continued, referring to the fallout from the ad.

According to Acton's campaign, the last time she saw her mother was in a courtroom in 1978 after her stepfather was indicted. Arthur's husband fled the state before he could stand trial, was never prosecuted, and died in 2004. Arthur left with him.

In an ad that Acton released earlier in the week, her brother recalled their childhood abuse and criticized Ramaswamy for using sexual assault as 'a political talking point.'

Trump defended Arthur and Ramaswamy in a long social media post, blaming the press for negative reactions and criticizing DeWine. He urged Ramaswamy to continue his attacks and called Acton 'a DISASTER who, uncontrollably, lies, cheats, and steals!'

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office is reviewing complaints about Ramaswamy's ad, which may have initially aired without a legally required disclaimer identifying who paid for it.

Ramaswamy's campaign claimed responsibility for the ad and said they would spend $4 million to air it across Ohio.

The Columbus Dispatch editorial board endorsed Acton after the ad dropped, describing it as 'revolting and unsettling.'

Former Republican Congressman Jim Renacci warned on X that the Republican campaign for Ohio Governor may have 'just fallen out' and that any Republican failing to distance themselves from the ad risks political damage.

MK Pritzker, wife of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, announced on Wednesday she would donate $500,000 to help Acton in the election.

Vice-President JD Vance said he would like fellow Republicans to stop 'whining' about the ad and expressed being 'a little bit disgusted' by criticism from his own party.

David Lublin, a professor at American University's School of Public Affairs, noted that attack ads are not new in US politics but have become more intense. He suggested Ramaswamy's ad could indicate his campaign is desperate to gain momentum.

A VoteHub poll released on Thursday suggested Acton was leading Ramaswamy by 1 percentage point, within the margin of error, and noted the survey was conducted before the ad aired.

If elected, Acton would become the first Democrat elected as Ohio governor in two decades.

Source: BBC World.