# Burgers, Boycotts and the Ad That Divided an Ohio Community

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/burgers-boycotts-and-the-ad-that-divided-an-ohio-community/
- Published: 2026-11-13T13:01:11+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T13:23:49+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Times (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/13/us/medina-ohio-boycott-restaurant-ramaswamy.html
- Topics: Culture, Food, World

## Key points

- A Republican campaign stop triggered a backlash against a Medina restaurant.
- The controversy centred on an ad involving Amy Acton’s family history.
- The owners faced pressure from customers and residents to cancel.

## Summary

P.J. Marley’s, a popular restaurant in Medina, Ohio, faced a backlash after agreeing to host Republican candidates, including gubernatorial hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, shortly before the election. The dispute intensified after Ramaswamy aired an ad involving his Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother; critics said it ignored Acton’s childhood sexual abuse and used the family’s pain for political purposes. The episode strained relationships in the town and showed how campaign disputes can leave lasting divisions in local communities.

Owners Patty and Jon Stahl had agreed to the event before the ad was released. They said they thought Ramaswamy might help address property taxes and rising electricity bills, and would also have hosted Democrats; they considered the ad poor taste. Customers and residents sent angry calls and messages, while some urged the couple to cancel. The supplied article text ends as it introduces other Ohio campaign ads concerning abuse allegations, so it does not say whether the restaurant ultimately held the event.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.