Ramaswamy Defends Campaign Ad Targeting Acton During Strongsville Stop

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy brought his campaign to Strongsville on Friday, where he answered mounting criticism of a campaign ad featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Dr. Amy Acton.

In the ad, Acton's estranged mother accuses her daughter of lying about allegations that she was sexually abused as a child by her stepfather. The spot has drawn sharp backlash since it began running.

Ramaswamy rejected the idea that the ad was about Acton's childhood. He told supporters it was meant to address her credibility and record. "The irony is they are lying about an ad that is about lying. That is the truth of the matter. It had nothing to do with childhood abuse, which I will be the number one governor to prosecute," he said.

He also accused the media of distorting the story. "For the people who are hearing it from the flawed and failed media, I want you to hear it from me directly. These people are lying to you, but I trust you to see through it. We ran an ad about lying. Amy Acton is lying. She has been lying this entire campaign," Ramaswamy said.

Acton's campaign responded earlier this week. It said she has not spoken to her mother since 1978. The campaign also recounted that a Mahoning County grand jury indicted her stepfather for rape when she was 12.

According to Acton, her mother, Donna Arthur, and her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, fled the state. Warrants were later issued for his arrest.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have backed Ramaswamy's decision to run the ad. Trump spoke about it again Friday before leaving the White House. "The press is trying so hard to nullify it. They called me up about it. I said, 'Wait a minute, the mother said these things. The mother looks like she's totally lucid. She looks very smart, actually,'" Trump said.

Other Republicans have taken a different view. Gov. Mike DeWine condemned the ad and said it was wrong to run it, though he made clear that he still stands behind his endorsement of Ramaswamy.

Don Kissick, the Libertarian candidate for governor, has gone further and called on Ramaswamy to withdraw from the race over the ad.