Ohio’s Republican governor Mike DeWine criticized gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday for releasing a controversial ad targeting his Democratic rival Amy Acton. DeWine described the ad as "deeply, deeply troubling" and urged Ramaswamy to take it down.
Context
The ad features Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who claims her daughter is a liar and unfit to lead the state. Acton, who has consistently led Ramaswamy in recent polls, has not seen her mother for decades due to a troubled past involving Arthur's abusive marriage.
DeWine stated, "It’s wrong to run this ad," during a press conference at the Ohio state capital. He emphasized that family members have historically been considered off-limits in political advertising.
Developments
Ramaswamy's campaign has committed to spending $4 million to air the ad statewide. In response to DeWine's comments, former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social, criticizing the governor for being disloyal to the Republican Party. Trump suggested that Ramaswamy should keep the ad running, stating:
