Ohio Race: Ramaswamy Pulls Controversial Ad

Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed on Thursday that a controversial television ad is leaving Ohio's airwaves. The spot featured Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. Arthur appeared in the ad to call her daughter a liar and ask voters to withhold their support from Acton. The campaign said the ad ran its full intended duration before being removed.

The advertisement first aired last week. It initially ran for one minute but was later cut down to a 30 second version. The spot did not mention the specific details of a rape case that Arthur's then stepfather was charged with committing against Acton when she was a child. That incident occurred nearly 50 years ago. Acton has not seen her mother since the charges were filed. Critics from both parties condemned the use of Arthur as a character witness. They argued the ad forced voters to confront painful private family history.

Acton addressed the ad on Tuesday during a campaign stop in Youngstown. She told reporters that she is learning new details about her childhood. She described the decision to run the ad as despicable. She said she is grateful for the support and love she has received from Ohioans. She noted that she will unpack the information she is receiving at a later time.

The Ramaswamy campaign stated last week that it spent 4 million dollars on airtime for this specific ad. Many observers called for the removal of the spot before the election ended. This group included Mike DeWine, the term limited Republican governor who has endorsed Ramaswamy. DeWine and others urged Ramaswamy to take the advertisement offline.

Addie Bullock, a spokesperson for the Acton campaign, issued a statement on Thursday. She said Ramaswamy should never have run the ad in the first place. She called the removal process cowardly and noted that there was no apology to Acton, her family, or the people of Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch was the first outlet to report that the ad's run was ending.

Ramaswamy spoke at a campaign stop on Thursday regarding the decision. He stated that the ad ran to completion. He said the campaign has placed four other ads in rotation. These new spots are airing in the final days of the race.