COLUMBUS, OHIO — Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy lost ground in an internal Republican poll after airing a controversial advertisement featuring Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother, though the survey does not prove the ad caused the shift.
The Republican firm’s earlier polling showed Acton narrowly ahead, 47% to 45%. A follow-up survey of 800 likely voters conducted Oct. 23-26 found Acton leading 50% to 42%, an eight-point margin and a six-point swing from the previous poll. The margin of error was 3.46 percentage points.
The ad featured Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar and disputing parts of her childhood story. Acton says she has not spoken to her mother in nearly five decades and that her stepfather sexually abused her as a child while Arthur failed to protect her. Court records and contemporary reporting support key elements of Acton’s account, while her brother has also corroborated it.
The commercial drew criticism from Democrats and Republicans, but Ramaswamy initially defended it and announced plans to spend $4 million airing it statewide. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance also defended Ramaswamy amid the backlash.
Ramaswamy said Thursday that the ad’s run had ended. Advertising data showed his campaign ultimately spent about $1 million on the spot rather than the originally announced $4 million.
Other polling has shown a narrower race, underscoring that a single survey should not be treated as evidence that the controversy alone changed voter preferences.
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