Amy Acton condemns Ramaswamy ad featuring her estranged mother
Ohio Democratic governor candidate Amy Acton has condemned a campaign ad by Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy that features her estranged mother accusing her of lying. The ad has provoked criticism and drawn national attention to the race, with Ohio’s outgoing Republican governor, Mike DeWine, reportedly calling it deeply troubling and urging that it be removed.
The ad omits the history that Acton’s stepfather was charged with raping her as a child; he fled before trial and was never prosecuted. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s custody, and Acton says she last saw her mother in court in 1978. Ramaswamy said his campaign would spend $4 million airing the ad, while Ohio’s secretary of state is reviewing complaints that it may initially have lacked a required funding disclaimer. A poll taken before the ad put Acton one percentage point ahead, within the margin of error; the election is on 3 November.
In short
- Acton calls Ramaswamy’s ad featuring her estranged mother despicable.
- The ad has prompted backlash from figures in both parties.
- A pre-ad poll showed Acton narrowly ahead of Ramaswamy.
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The case for
Ramaswamy’s campaign could argue that voters should hear relevant criticism from Acton’s own mother when assessing a candidate’s honesty, and that political advertising can bring personal testimony into public debate. If the ad is accurate and legally compliant, the campaign may say voters should decide for themselves how much weight to give it.
The case against
Acton’s supporters could argue that presenting an estranged parent’s accusation without the context of Acton’s childhood abuse and separation from her mother gives voters a seriously incomplete and potentially misleading picture. Using that painful family history for electoral advantage may also be viewed as an unfair invasion of privacy, especially when the accusation comes from a relationship Acton says ended in childhood.
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Originally published by BBC World as “‘This is despicable’: Amy Acton responds to Ohio attack ad featuring her estranged mother”.