Ramaswamy Campaign Pulls Amy Acton Ad After Bipartisan Backlash

Ohio voters will no longer see a controversial television spot featuring Amy Acton’s mother as the state’s gubernatorial race enters its final days. The Ramaswamy campaign confirmed on Thursday that the ad has ceased broadcasting, completing its scheduled run.

The commercial introduced Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged mother, who calls her daughter a liar on air. Acton has not seen Arthur since her then-stepfather was charged with raping her as a young child nearly 50 years ago. The spot does not mention the criminal charges but uses Arthur to question Acton’s character.

Critics from both parties reacted strongly when the ad debuted last week. They argued that the campaign was using a family crisis to attack a political opponent. The backlash included calls from term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who supports Ramaswamy, to remove the spot from the airwaves.

The campaign allocated $4 million to airtime for the initial one-minute version of the ad. It was later trimmed to a 30-second length for the remainder of its circulation.

Acton addressed the ad’s impact at a campaign stop in Youngstown on Tuesday. She told reporters she is learning new details about her childhood. "I think it is despicable," Acton said. She expressed gratitude for the support she has received from Ohioans during this period.

Addie Bullock, spokesperson for the Acton campaign, issued a statement Thursday regarding the ad’s removal. She said Ramaswamy should not have run the spot in the first place. Bullock described the decision to pull the ad as a cowardly move that lacked an apology to Acton, her family, or the state’s residents.

Ramaswamy told reporters at a Thursday campaign stop that the ad ran to completion. The campaign is now airing four other advertisements in the closing days before the election.