MONROE, OH − Devouring Reubens and potato pancakes, Republican voters who came to see Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had one message: They don't care about his controversial ad attacking Democrat Amy Acton.They're more worried about "socialism."
Ramaswamy and other Republicans on the ballot stopped at Izzy's Deli here Oct. 24 in suburban Cincinnati as part of a weekend bus tour. Around 100 people packed into thelocal deli chain, which boasts the "World's Greatest Reuben."
Ramaswamy has faced criticism from a number of Republicans for running an ad featuring his Democratic opponent's estranged mother calling her a liar.
Attendees told The Enquirer that, at the top of their minds, are securing the country's borders, bringing jobs to Ohio,
and defending the country from socialist candidates – not the campaign ad.
'Dirty politics is dirty politics'
George Kochanowski, 72, drove from Springboro to meet Ramaswamy and Husted. He said that "dirty politics is dirty politics."
"If that was Donald Trump's mother, would you have asked the same question?" Kochanowski said. "Two, did [Acton's mother] say anything that was proven wrong?"
In Ramaswamy's ad, Acton's mother, Donna Stearns Arthur, accused Acton of lying about her upbringing. Acton and her mother have been estranged since 1978, after Acton's stepfather was charged with sexually abusing her. Arthur stayed married to Acton's stepfather after he was charged and lost custody of her children.
Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine condemned the ad and called on Ramaswamy to take it down, as did former Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended it.
"If you're a liberal Democrat, it's divisive," Kochanowski said. "If you're a Republican, it's 'nana nana boo boo,' you're getting some of your own medicine."
GOP voters more worried about 'communists' and 'socialists'
Gary Cates, a member of the Republican Party State Central Committee representing Butler County, drove from West Chester for the event. He said that Ramaswamy's ad is just part of running the campaign he "needs to run to win the race."
"The foundation of his campaign is that 'Amy Acton can't be trusted, she's a liar, everything about her is a lie,'" Cates, a former Ohio State senator, said. "Everything about her is a lie. So if people get upset about certain ads being run here, they get upset."
Cates said he is worried Acton, if elected, would be "under the thumb of the socialist movement in this party." Other attendees said they were worried about socialism in government, too.
"I'm really concerned about the communists taking over the country," agreed Jay Radabaugh, 83, of Lebanon. "They're hiding it by saying that they're 'democratic socialists.' That's sugar-coating what they really are."
GOP leaders have routinely labeled Acton as a socialist during the campaign, though Acton has explicitly stated she is not a socialist. Her campaign platform includes property tax relief, a tax cut for "working families," and more spending on public schools,including free breakfast and lunch for school children.
Attendees, speakers criticize Acton's ads about Ramaswamy
Kay Radabaugh, 79, of Lebanon, said she disliked Acton for the role she played as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. She supports the ad for calling her a liar.
"If it was the other way around, she would go after him," Kay said. "And she did go after him."
At the event Oct. 24, Rob McColley, Ramaswamy's running mate, criticized Acton's campaign for running ads that he said lied about Ramaswamy. He said Acton's campaign putting out an ad featuring a man saying "Vivek Ramaswamy murdered my wife" and "accusing (Ramaswamy's mother) of participating in a criminal enterprise."
McColley appeared to be referencing an ad released by Acton's campaign Oct. 1 that features an Ohio man, whose wife has Alzheimer's, accusing Ramaswamy of pushing "an Alzheimer's drug that he knew didn't work" and making "hundreds of millions of dollars scamming people like me." The man did not say in this ad that "Vivek Ramaswamy murdered my wife." PolitiFact found the ad was "mostly false."
A former teacher protests outside
The lone outspoken opponent to Ramaswamy's ad at the event was his former teacher from Princeton Junior High School, Michael Pogue. Pogue sat outside Izzy's with signs reading "You owe Dr. Acton a full retraction and sincere apology!" and "Shame on you, Vivek! I taught you better!"
Pogue was difficult to see from inside Izzy's − some attendees stood outside with a large Ramaswamy campaign poster to block him from view.
Pogue drove to Monroe from Anderson Township hoping to talk to Ramaswamy at the event, but the gubernatorial candidate boarded the bus to leave for his next stop in Hamilton before Pogue got the chance.
Pogue, who told The Enquirer he taught Ramaswamy in eighth grade and was his honor's society advisor, said he was "disappointed" in him for running the ad.
"This latest attack on Dr. Acton hits home," Pogue said. "I had too many students who were raped."
Ramaswamy told reporters Oct. 23 that the ad has "nothing to do with childhood abuse (or) sexual abuse."
"We condemn that as forcefully as anyone," Ramaswamy said Oct. 23. "Our ad was about a consistent track record of Amy Acton telling lies, including during this campaign."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: At an Ohio deli, GOP voters shrug at controversy over Ramaswamy ad
