In two months, Ohioans will make one of the most consequential choices of the next decade: who leads our state to improve the lives of hardworking families through an era of economic transformation, energy scarcity and threats to public safety. Before the voters decide, they deserve to see both candidates for governor stand on the same stage, defend their respective records and answer hard questions.
Earlier this month, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy accepted two debate invitations − one from CNN and one from Cincinnati's WLWT, a local NBC News affiliate. I’m sure friends cautioned Ramaswamy against these networks, given their less charitable coverage of Republicans as compared to Democrats, but he isn’t afraid to debate. He believes open dialogue
and debate are an essential part of the democratic process.
Unfortunately, his opponent, Democrat Amy Acton, declined both debate challenges and went further to reject the idea of doing any debates at all. This is an insult to voters across Ohio and is just the latest demonstration that Acton lacks the mettle required to lead.
Her stated reason is that Republican criticisms of her record have been lies. If you take that claim seriously even for a moment, it collapses under its own weight.
If someone spread falsehoods about her record before millions of voters, shouldn’t she want to expose those lies in a transparent manner in front of a statewide audience? If criticisms of her record have been false, why isn’t she demanding a debate to correct them?
It’s simple: She’s hiding.
Acton claims she wants voters to look past attack ads and pay attention to what’s real. But there is exactly one forum voters actually watch in long-form, other than advertisements: a debate. If you genuinely believe Ohioans deserve something deeper than a soundbite, you offer them at least one debate that goes deeper. No editing, no consultants, no teleprompters. Refusing to debate while lamenting the ads isn’t a principle; it’s an alibi.
And let’s be honest: Her pattern of behavior goes beyond the debate. Skipping a debate is one decision. Skipping town halls and open, unfiltered dialogue with voters is a calculated strategy. We even recently learned that Acton’s campaign policy prohibits photos and requires audiences to turn off recording devices before she speaks. If she doesn’t want Ohioans to hear or see her, does she even want this job?
Ohioans in every corner of this state − union halls in Youngstown, church basements in Cincinnati, county fairs from Butler to Portage counties − deserve the chance to look a would-be governor in the eye and ask an unfiltered question. For over a year, Vivek Ramaswamy has held town halls and open Q&A with voters across the state. No pre-screened questions. No filters. He’s taken questions from Republicans, independents and Democrats alike. Some were clearly planted by Acton’s allies, and he took their questions, too. But she hasn't held a similar town hall even once.
This is truly bizarre for someone seeking the state’s highest office. She isn’t hiding from Ramaswamy. She’s hiding from you.
The governorship demands pressure. Negotiating with the largest corporations on Earth to benefit Ohioans is pressure. Commanding the Ohio National Guard through a flood, a blackout, or worse is pressure. Deciding to sign off on capital punishment is pressure. If 90 minutes behind a podium is too much, what happens when the stakes are much bigger?
The Washington Examiner recently ran a damning article that included interviews with multiple public employees who worked with and around Acton during her time as state health director, and their accounts make clear why she’s hiding: She cannot handle pressure.
One staffer said she was found lying on the floor outside of a conference room, having to be coaxed into the meeting as others waited for her. Another indicated that she always appeared to be crying as she walked the halls of the Ohio Department of Health. Another claimed she could work for about 90 minutes and then would shut down.
Not everyone is built to lead, and it’s clear Amy Acton fits into that category.
Some claim that Acton proved her mettle during COVID, but don’t forget how that chapter ended: She resigned as health director as the pressure peaked and the crisis continued. I’ve long been a vocal opponent of Acton’s disastrous COVID-19 policies, including unjustified public school closures while private schools remained open − but my point here is different. When times get tough, she quits.
She quit clinical medicine right when it came time to start seeing patients. She quit every job she’s ever held since. Now she’s quitting on the debates when running for governor. If she believes Ramaswamy's campaign has mischaracterized anything, the podium is waiting.
Every voter should do their homework and question why Acton is so scared to defend her record and her policy plans in the open. Then, they should vote for the only candidate truly prepared to lead the seventh-largest state in the country: Vivek Ramaswamy.
Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Akron) represents Ohio's 27th senatorial district and is the Republican candidate for Ohio State Treasurer in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Acton's debate rebuff proves she doesn't have the grit to lead Ohio | Opinion
