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Trump Defends Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio Attack Ad Featuring Amy Acton’s Estranged Mother
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Ramaswamy's Ohio ad features Acton's estranged mother accusing Acton. Trump defended the ad, calling Acton a liar.
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Ohio ad sparks backlash
President Donald Trump defended Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio attack ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother, after bipartisan criticism over the ad’s depiction of Acton as a liar. Ohio’s outgoing Republican governor Mike DeWine said, "The ad, on its face, is deeply, deeply troubling," and urged Ramaswamy to take it down.
Amy Acton responded to the ad by calling it "despicable" in comments reported by the BBC. Vice President JD Vance told reporters that Republicans should stop "whining" about the advertisement and focus on winning the race in 13 days.
Ramaswamy doubles down
Ramaswamy’s campaign spokesperson Connie Luck defended the ad by saying, "the first and only candidate to attack the mother of her opponent in this race was Amy Acton." Trump told supporters at a rally in Iowa late on Thursday that he advised Ramaswamy, "Leave it up, and look upstairs and say, 'Thank you God, very much,'".
Trump also said he had "no idea" about Acton’s allegation of being raped by her mother’s husband, while questioning when Acton made that claim. Ramaswamy’s campaign pledged to put $4 million behind the ad after testing with focus groups showed it was effective, according to a person briefed on the research told The Washington Post.
What is at stake
The controversy has centered on the Ohio governor’s race to replace outgoing Governor Mike DeWine, with Acton and Ramaswamy both running for the 3 November midterm election.
“Acton and Ramaswamy are both running to replace outgoing Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican who endorsed Ramaswamy, in the 3 November midterm election.”
The BBC reported that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his office was reviewing complaints about Ramaswamy’s ad, which may have initially aired without a legally required disclaimer.
The Washington Post framed the backlash as evidence that candidates can face "bipartisan outrage" when they try to embody Trump’s "attack-first strategy."
Acton told supporters at a campaign event that "Everyone is exhausted. It’s been a long decade," and she said, "We have to heal what has been broken."
