Ohio GOP Fractures as Gov. DeWine Condemns Ramaswamy Attack Ad
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine condemns Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial campaign ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother, exposing deep Republican rifts.
POLICY WIRE — Columbus, Ohio — Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has openly condemned a controversial campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton, aligning himself against his own party’s nominee, Vivek Ramaswamy.
During a press briefing with reporters at the Ohio Statehouse on Wednesday, DeWine characterized the 60-second video as deeply, deeply troubling. He added that it is wrong to run this ad and explicitly urged the Ramaswamy campaign to take it down.
The intervention by the term-limited governor highlights a widening fracture within the state’s Republican party. Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate who secured DeWine’s endorsement, took full responsibility for the video and allocated $4 million to broadcast it across television and online platforms.
The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton’s birth mother, who labels the Democratic candidate a liar and hints at mental health issues. Acton previously served as Ohio’s COVID-era health director and has openly discussed experiencing childhood homelessness and abuse.
The resulting political fallout has drawn sharp divisions among prominent figures. Vice President JD Vance expressed frustration with fellow Republicans complaining about the spot, while GOP U.S. Senator Jon Husted and Secretary of State Frank LaRose both distanced themselves from the broadcast strategy.
Former U.S. Representative Jim Renacci warned on social media that the ground may have given way beneath the state’s gubernatorial campaign. Meanwhile, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley criticized Ramaswamy on Tuesday, calling him a bad guy on social media for continuing personal attacks.
Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou responded to the internal friction with a thinly veiled warning regarding party loyalty. Campaign manager Jonathan Ewing defended the strategy, asserting to conservative media outlets that the broadcast represents a campaign-ending moment for Acton.
Court and police documentation from July 1978 reveals that Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter when Acton was 12 years old. The allegations stemmed from a report by Acton’s biological father regarding incidents occurring between December 1976 and April 1978, though Cledith Arthur ultimately became a fugitive and never faced trial before his death.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
