Vance defends Ramaswamy ad amid Ohio backlash
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The gist
Vice President JD Vance defended a Ramaswamy ad that calls Amy Acton a liar, saying it "calls it out like it is."
The spot drew bipartisan backlash, and the Ohio governor's race is central to the November 3 midterms.
Background
Vivek Ramaswamy is the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, a biotech billionaire and 2024 presidential candidate; Amy Acton is the Democratic candidate and Ohio's former state health director. The ad features Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, disputing her account of a troubled childhood and insinuating she has mental health issues. The dispute intensified after the Acton campaign produced records showing her stepfather was charged with raping her when she was 12. Vance, the Vice President, a former Ohio senator and a close friend of Ramaswamy, weighed in during a campaign visit to Ohio.
How it unfolded
- Oct 20, 2026Ramaswamy defended the ad to reporters, saying he wanted the election to focus on issues affecting Ohioans but that Acton's record and statements deserved scrutiny. Former Senator Sherrod Brown called the spot "disgusting" and said everybody, including Husted, should denounce it.
- Oct 21, 2026Vance defended the ad during a campaign visit to Ohio, saying it "calls it out like it is, and calls Amy Acton a liar." He told reporters he was "disgusted" by fellow Republicans pushing back, then defended Ramaswamy at a rally outside Cincinnati.
- Oct 21, 2026Senator Jon Husted shared the stage with Vance and Ramaswamy but steered clear of discussing the ad. President Donald Trump told reporters he knew nothing about the ad but had heard "the mother went very rogue on the daughter."
- Oct 21, 2026Acton spent the day traveling to a previously scheduled campaign appearance in rural Wyandot County, and her campaign released a new positive ad. Ramaswamy's campaign will spend $4 million to air the ad on TV and online in the closing weeks of the race.
- Nov 3, 2026Midterm elections.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Vance said the ad "calls it out like it is, and calls Amy Acton a liar," and that whether it was appropriate is "not really my concern."
- Caution
- Vance said he was "a little bit disgusted" by Republicans "whining" about the ad rather than about what Democrats want to do to the country.
- Party
- Republican Senator Jon Husted said, "I would not have run that ad," while Democrat Sherrod Brown called it "disgusting" and urged everyone to denounce it.
- Public
- Meghan McCain said, "It never should have been created. Shame on whatever consultant firm created this," and Nikki Haley called Ramaswamy "a bad guy."
- Support
- Ramaswamy campaign spokesperson Connie Luck accused Acton of repeatedly making false statements about Ramaswamy and his family.
Still unverified
The Ramaswamy campaign's initial statement on the ad did not claim responsibility for its production; the candidate eventually did so when he spoke to reporters at an evening campaign event. The ad initially circulated online without clearly identifying its sponsor.