Trump is defending the Ramaswamy ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother, even as members of his own party, including Ohio’s Republican governor, call for it to be taken down. On Thursday, Trump went to Truth Social to back Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican running for Ohio governor, and push back on the criticism.
“The Press is trying to convince everyone that this Ad is bad, because it’s so good! Who wouldn’t use such an Ad? I would, it’s called, ‘hitting pay dirt,'” Trump wrote. He said that while DeWine wanted the ad down, “I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up,” and went on to call Acton “a defective, dishonest, and incapable Candidate.”
Here’s what’s going on. Ohio is choosing a new governor in November because DeWine is term limited. Ramaswamy, a billionaire biotech entrepreneur and former co chair of Trump’s DOGE effort, is running against Democrat Amy Acton, a physician who served as Ohio’s health director during the early days of COVID.
The ad in question is a minute long spot featuring Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother. In it, Arthur calls her daughter a liar, says she has “lied her entire life” and urges Ohioans not to vote for her. The Ramaswamy campaign put $4 million behind it in statewide airtime and said Arthur was not paid to appear.
What the ad leaves out is why Acton and her mother are estranged. Acton has spoken openly during the campaign about the abuse and neglect she faced as a child. Arthur lost custody of Acton and her younger brother in 1978 after Arthur’s husband at the time was arrested and charged with raping Acton when she was 12. Court records and local news reports from that time back up Acton’s account. Acton says she has not seen or spoken to her mother in nearly 50 years.
Acton called the ad “despicable.” In a Facebook post responding to it, she wrote, “My birth mother did nothing to protect me. I’ve always known that she was deeply sick and unwell.” Her brother also condemned the ad.
The backlash has not been limited to Democrats. DeWine, who endorsed Ramaswamy to succeed him, told reporters Thursday that his wife saw the ad on television hours earlier. “The ad, on its face, is deeply, deeply troubling,” DeWine said. “It’s wrong to run this ad.” DeWine said he still supports Ramaswamy for governor. Former Ohio House Speaker Ryan Smith, a Republican, and Lydia Mihalik, who leads the state’s Department of Development under DeWine, also spoke out against it.
The Trump camp is not budging. Vice President JD Vance said he was “disgusted” by the Republicans criticizing the ad, and Ramaswamy’s campaign pointed to Acton’s own messaging about Ramaswamy’s mother. “Governor DeWine is correct that the first and only candidate to attack the mother of her opponent in this race was Amy Acton,” Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck said. DeWine noted that it was Ramaswamy’s attack that had a $4 million ad buy behind it.
Trump, who endorsed Ramaswamy early in the race, ended his post by praising him. “I know the real Vivek, he is a brilliant and outstanding person who will cut Taxes, stop Crime and, MAKE OHIO GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote. “He will be a fantastic Governor!”
Ohio voters decide the race on November 3.
