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Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Vivek Ramaswamy To Win Ohio Governor Race
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Amy Acton defeats Vivek Ramaswamy to win Ohio governor. Acton becomes Ohio's first woman governor.
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Ohio governor flips
Democrat Dr. Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to win the Ohio governor’s race, becoming the first Democrat to win the seat in 20 years and the first woman ever elected to the state’s top post.
Acton told supporters, "The healing begins today," after she delivered a victory that the AP said came despite more than $100 million spent against her.
Ramaswamy conceded in his concession speech that he is "rooting" for the state, as well as Acton, after the bitter contest ended with Acton projected to win by CBS News projections.
The Guardian said Acton, 60, will become the first woman to serve as Ohio’s governor and will end 16 years of Republican control of the office.
Attack ad backlash
The race turned sharply in the final weeks after the Ramaswamy campaign released a deeply personal attack ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, with the BBC reporting that Acton’s mother Donna Arthur said her daughter "lied her entire life". Acton’s campaign and supporters faced the fallout as the BBC said the ad did not mention that Arthur’s husband was charged with raping Acton when she was a child, and the Guardian said Acton’s mother lost custody after her husband was indicted for raping Acton when she was 12.
President Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance backed Ramaswamy’s minute-long ad, and the BBC said Trump described it as "powerful" and encouraged Ramaswamy to keep it running. The Guardian said the campaign eventually discontinued the ad last week, and it also reported that Ramaswamy’s campaign said it would spend $4m on airing the spot.
What changes next
Acton, who the AP said is a public health physician and former COVID-19-era state health director, enters office succeeding GOP Gov. Mike DeWine, who the AP said is term-limited.
“Acton succeeds GOP Gov. Mike DeWine, whom she served alongside during the early months of the pandemic.”
The Guardian said Acton will govern alongside a Republican-controlled legislature, setting up potential clashes over tax reform, school funding and datacenters.
The AP said Acton campaigned on affordability and better access to healthcare, and it said she pledged during her victory speech, "I am so incredibly honored that I have earned the trust of Ohioans to be the next governor of Ohio,".
The Guardian said Acton promised an earned income tax credit, a child tax credit of up to $1,000, a public prescription drug platform and property tax relief aimed at seniors and middle-income homeowners, while Ramaswamy promised to make Ohio income-tax free in a decade and cut energy bills.