Ramaswamy defends the legitimacy of his ad about Acton: 'Voters deserve the truth'
The one-minute video features Donna Arthur, Acton's biological mother, claiming that her daughter "lies about her past" and that "she has lied her whole life." Arthur also casts doubt on Acton's account of her childhood, including the financial hardships the candidate has publicly described.
The campaign of Vivek Ramaswamy has decided not to back down in the face of the controversy sparked by an ad in which the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, Amy Acton, questions her personal narrative. For the Republican, this is not an unwarranted attack, but rather relevant information that the residents of Ohio should know before voting.
A strategic decision
The one-minute video features Donna Arthur, Acton's biological mother, claiming that her daughter "lies about her past" and that "she has lied her whole life". Arthur also casts doubt on Acton's account of her childhood, including the financial hardships the candidate has publicly described.
Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed that it produced the ad and announced an investment of $4 million to air it across Ohio. The decision comes, according to sources cited by Axios, to the video's strong performance in tests with "swing" voters.
Acton's response
Acton has claimed that she was sexually abused by her stepfather between the ages of 10 and 12 and that her mother failed to protect her. She explained that she and her brother were removed from their mother's custody and that she has not seen her mother since childhood.
In a message posted on Facebook, the Democrat wrote: "Those experiences have shaped my values, my compassion, and my conviction that every person deserves to feel safe, to be heard, and to have a fair chance at a better life," and she accused Ramaswamy of exploiting her mother "for his own political gain".
Her brother, Philip Stearns, called the ad "despicable."
Ramaswamy defends the ad as "legitimate"
For Ramaswamy's team, that reaction confirms that the ad has struck a nerve. Campaign manager Jonathan Ewing told Axios that this is a "moment that ends Amy Acton's campaign" because "the people who know her best continue to warn the people of Ohio."
Ramaswamy's spokesperson, Connie Luck, acknowledged in a statement that they do not know "what happened between Amy and her mother," but maintained that Acton is a "serial fabricator" with "serious issues with the truth" that the public should be aware of before deciding whom to entrust with the governorship.
Ramaswamy said the ad came from his campaign and that he considered it "legitimate." He also stated that Arthur was not paid to participate and that he does not know her personally.
"If she believes those attacks are unfair and inaccurate—as hers against me certainly have been—she would want to do the same thing I'm doing: defend myself and set the record straight in a debate," Ramaswamy said. "And I think that's fair, and that voters deserve the truth."
Risk that the ad could generate sympathy for Acton
Several Republicans fear that the ad could generate sympathy for Acton and backfire on Ramaswamy. Strategist David Urban and conservative commentator Mary Katharine Ham warned precisely of that risk.
"It seems crazy to me that anyone would think this would work and not backfire," Ham posted on X.
But Ramaswamy's strategy is based on a different interpretation: that Ohio voters, especially undecided ones, will reward whoever raises uncomfortable questions about their opponent's credibility rather than avoiding them.
Vivek Ramaswamy: The outsider who aims to govern Ohio
He gained national prominence in 2024 during the Republican presidential primaries. Although he started out as a minor candidate, his direct, theatrical, and critical remarks during the debates—in which he took aim at the party "machine"—earned him unexpected visibility. He never posed a serious threat to Donald Trump, but he established himself as one of the new faces of the movement. After dropping out of the race, he endorsed Trump, which allowed him to maintain influence within the MAGA sphere.
He later co-chaired the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Elon Musk, a position he left in January 2025 to run for governor of Ohio.
In his state campaign, he maintains the same style: short videos, social media, and provocative messages. This isn't the first time Ramaswamy has set the agenda with a video. In October 2023, he posted a clip from the U.S.-Canada border in New Hampshire, showing how easy it was to cross illegally via a trail and a shallow stream. The video went viral and brought attention to an issue that had previously received little attention.
In the final stretch of the gubernatorial campaign, Ramaswamy is once again banking on confrontation. His latest ad, focused on the estranged mother of his Democratic rival Amy Acton, has drawn criticism even from Republicans. However, it reflects his approach to politics: not avoiding controversy, but placing it at the center of the debate. For him, going viral is not a risk, but a strategy. I'll add this:
The move comes as Acton leads in the polls. According to a poll released Tuesday by the Marist Poll, the Democrat leads with 50% compared to Ramaswamy's 43% among likely voters, with a seven-point lead and a margin of error of 4.5 points.
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