Vivek Ramaswamy Pulls Controversial Ohio Gubernatorial Campaign Ad

The campaign for Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor of Ohio, confirmed on Thursday that it was no longer airing a controversial advertisement that sparked days of bipartisan outrage. The commercial had featured the estranged mother of the Democratic nominee, Amy Acton, calling her daughter a liar.

Speaking at a rally in Toledo, Ohio, alongside Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, Acton criticized her opponent for exploiting her childhood trauma. "My opponent has now chosen to exploit my childhood intentionally," Acton said on Thursday night. "He’s doing it in a desperate attempt to save his struggling campaign. But I’ll tell you: Mr. Ramaswamy, it’s not going to work!"

The advertisement featured Donna Arthur, Acton's estranged mother, but omitted critical background information regarding the family history. Court and custody records indicated that Arthur lost custody of Acton when the candidate was 12 years old, following charges that Arthur's second husband had raped Acton. Rather than remain with her children, Arthur fled prosecution alongside her husband.

Following the backlash, Ramaswamy confirmed on Thursday that the spot was no longer running. He subsequently told reporters that he would prefer the final stretch of the race to focus on policy issues.

Amid the widespread criticism, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance emerged as the two most prominent defenders of the political advertisement. Both figures have previously faced scrutiny for controversial political maneuvers, including promoting false claims regarding Haitian immigrants in 2024.

The controversial commercial failed to deliver the intended boost for the Republican campaign. Subsequent polling showed no surge of support for Ramaswamy, while the nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted its rating for the gubernatorial race from a toss-up to leaning Democratic. On average, recent polling indicates that Acton holds a three-percentage-point lead over her Republican opponent.

As Election Day approaches, Republicans face the prospect of potential Democratic gains in various contests, leading campaigns to deploy aggressive tactics. However, political analysts note that severe negative campaigning appears to be backfiring in key races across the state.