Columbus, OH — A pro-Vivek Ramaswamy attack ad featuring Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton’s estranged mother has triggered rare bipartisan outrage, with critics accusing Ramaswamy’s allies of exploiting Acton’s childhood abuse for political gain.
The video features Donna Arthur calling her daughter a “liar” and disputing Acton’s longtime account that her family lived in a tent during part of her childhood. But the ad omits key context: Acton has said she was sexually abused as a child by Arthur’s husband, who was criminally charged, and that she became estranged from her mother after being removed from the home.
Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, said Arthur remained married to the man accused of abusing his sister until his death. He accused Ramaswamy of turning that trauma into a campaign weapon and called the attack a “despicable low.”
Even prominent conservatives recoiled. Republican strategist Liz Mair called the ad “terrible,” commentator Mary Katharine Ham said it appeared likely to backfire, and Reason’s Robby Soave described it as “sick stuff.”
It remains unclear who produced or paid for the video, and there is no verified evidence that Ramaswamy’s campaign directly commissioned it. His campaign had not publicly addressed the controversy when the reports were published.
Acton’s account of her childhood, including living in a tent, was publicly documented years before she ran for governor.
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