Lead report from CBS News
What happened
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is facing widespread bipartisan backlash for a campaign advertisement in the Ohio race featuring Democratic opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother. In the ad, Acton's mother calls her daughter a liar regarding claims of childhood abuse by her stepfather. Despite calls from figures like Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to take down the ad, Ramaswamy has defended the $4 million spot and taken responsibility for its production.
Outlets across the political spectrum agree that Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign released an attack ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother calling her a liar, which has generated significant controversy and condemnation from various political figures.
Left-leaning outlets like The Atlantic and The New Republic strongly condemn the ad as an appalling and disgraceful attack on a survivor of childhood abuse. Center outlets such as CBS News and The Hill focus heavily on the political fallout and calls from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for the ad to be removed. Right-leaning outlets like the New York Post and WorldNetDaily report on Ramaswamy defending the ad and taking ownership of the campaign strategy while noting the intense national attention and fundraising surge for Acton.
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DeWine calls on Ramaswamy to take down ad featuring Acton’s mother
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) called on Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to take down an ad featuring his opponent Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother. “The ad is deeply, deeply troubling,” DeWine told reporters outside the Ohio Statehouse, according to The Statehouse News Bureau. “But when you know the rest of the story, when you know the…
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left: 10 · center: 7 · right: 9. Counts describe displayed outlets, not independent investigations or the accuracy of their reporting.
Source context: In the ad, which first circulated on social media Monday night, Democrat Amy Acton's estranged mother called her a liar.
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Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign for Ohio governor is pouring $4 million into a bombshell ad in which his opponent's estranged mother attacks her daughter — doubling down on the message despite fierce bipartisan backlash, Axios has learned.Why it matters: Ramaswamy is gambling that the deeply personal attack by Amy Acton's mother — who Acton has said sided with…
You’re reading The TNR Blue Book. Get daily scoops, strategy, and developments inside the liberal ideas factory delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for free.Inside Washington In the past two days, near-universal condemnation of an attack ad featuring Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and her estranged mother has brought the governor’s race to…
Amy Acton’s brother calls campaigning on his sister’s sexual abuse from their mother’s husband ‘a despicable low’The family of Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, is criticizing her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy for using Acton’s estranged mother in a recently released campaign ad.In the ad, which has circulated among…
A Republican ad features Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling her daughter a liar. The two have not spoken since Dr. Acton’s mother backed her husband after his arrest on rape charges.
The Republican candidate for governor of Ohio has drawn condemnation from the right and the left for casually dismissing his opponent’s account of being raped as a child.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is calling for Vivek Ramaswamy to stop airing an ad that features the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.
Chris Lehmann The Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate has accused his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, of lying about being raped when she was 12 years old.
From mocking the Democrat's therapy to an ad featuring her estranged mother, Vivek Ramaswamy and his allies have ma
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton accused her mother's then-husband of sexual assault when she was a child.
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is closing out one of the nastiest races of the 2026 cycle by suggesting that Democrat Amy Acton, his opponent in the Ohio governor’s race, has lied about the well-documented childhood sexual abuse she experienced for political gain. In a contest marked by sharp personal attacks and partisan rancor, Ramaswamy’s latest attempt…
7 publishers
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) called on Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to take down an ad featuring his opponent Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother. “The ad is deeply, deeply troubling,” DeWine told reporters outside the Ohio Statehouse, according to The Statehouse News Bureau. “But when you know the rest of the story, when you know the…
Questions about the video will likely shadow Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire who previously ran for president but has never before held public office, in the final two weeks of the contest.
Her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy is airing the ad featuring her mother, whose husband was charged with sexual abuse in her childhood.
The attack ad features Amy Acton's mother, who lost custody of her children after Acton was sexually abused by her stepfather.
In the ad, which first circulated on social media Monday night, Democrat Amy Acton's estranged mother called her a liar.
Republican biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is facing bipartisan backlash over a $4 million advertisement he supported against his opponent in the campaign to be Ohio’s next governor.
A campaign ad by Republican candidate for Ohio governor Vivek Ramaswamy includes the mother of Democrat Amy Acton. Acton says they've been estranged since she was abused as a child by her stepfather.
9 publishers
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has become the second-highest fundraiser on the Democrat-aligned platform ActBlue this week, as controversy over a campaign advertisement featuring her estranged mother draws national attention to the race. Acton is challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike…
“It is an ad from our campaign,” Ramaswamy said of the blistering 1-minute spot, in which Donna Arthur – Acton’s mother – accused her daughter of being a “liar” and embellishing claims of abuse she allegedly suffered as a child.
Vivek Ramaswamy is taking responsibility for a controversial attack ad featuring his Democratic opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother.
Robby Soave and Amber Duke react to Vivek Ramaswamy's new campaign ad against opponent Amy Acton.
'My daughter needs help, and she can't help you if she needs help herself'
‘A despicable low’
Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is going all in on the explosive ad rocking the ugly race for the governor’s mansion. Ramaswamy’s campaign accepted responsibility and is pouring $4 million behind the bombshell ad, which features the estranged mother of his opponent, Ohio Democrat gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, calling her…
Donna Arthur, the mother of Amy Acton, a Democrat running to become Ohio’s next governor, appears in a campaign ad urging voters not to vote for her own daughter.
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