Politics

Ohio's Republican governor condemns Ramaswamy ad attacking his Democratic rival — Trump defends it

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday condemned fellow Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign ad featuring Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton's estranged mother — calling it "deeply, deeply troubling" and urging the campaign to take it down.

"It was just wrong to run this ad," DeWine told reporters outside the Ohio Statehouse, recalling his history as a county prosecutor defending child rape victims. "When you know the rest of the story... it just, to me, makes it more serious. It makes it just more wrong." The ad features Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, accusing her daughter of lying about her upbringing. Acton has not spoken to her mother since she was 12, when Arthur's husband — Acton's stepfather — was charged with rape for sexually abusing a young Acton.

DeWine did not rescind his endorsement of Ramaswamy, and the campaign is not taking the ad down — it is airing through Election Day, with $4 million behind it. But the governor is not alone: Sen. Jon Husted and Secretary of State Frank LaRose said they would not have run the spot, and former Gov. John Kasich called it "completely inappropriate."

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, defended the ad as "very powerful," calling DeWine a RINO and Vice President JD Vance told Republican critics to "stop whining." The election is November 3.

Sources: USA Today (Oct 22, 2026); Cincinnati Enquirer (Oct 22, 2026).

Sponsored

MR CAT ADVERTISINGDOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED MORE CUSTOMERS?

VISIT SITE →