A chorus of condemnation from some Ohio politicians is growing against Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over an attack ad that featured his opponent's estranged mother criticizing her and questioning the years of abuse she endured as a child.
The ad, which has not been aired on television but spread on social media, shows Dr. Amy Acton's estranged mother, Donna Stearns Arthur, criticizing Acton, calling her a liar and casting doubt on Acton's upbringing. Acton has been estranged from Arthur since 1978 when her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, faced a rape charge for sexually assaulting Acton when she was 12 years old.
Cledith died in southern Pennsylvania and was never convicted of the charge, and Acton's mother stayed married
to him until his death.
A clip of the ad, whichblogger The Rooster shared on social media on Oct. 19, features Arthur accusing her daughter of lying about Acton's upbringing, which included homelessness, neglect and abuse, and urging Ohioans not to vote for Acton. "It's not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem," Arthur says in the ad. "She is a liar. She lies about her past."
Acton's brother, Phillip Stearns, condemned the ad, and said Ramaswamy "stooped to a despicable low" in attempting to turn Acton's abuse into a "political talking point."
“After [Cledith] was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died," Stearns said of Arthur. "This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core – a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants."
Acton told WOSU that her mother is the one lying. "It's awful to see her this way, and it's even more incredible to see that my opponent [Ramaswamy] has taken advantage of someone who's clearly not well, who is older, and this is totally in line with who he is," Acton told WOSU.
Several prominent Democrats – including State Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, who is running for Ohio Secretary of State, and Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell, who is running for state auditor against Secretary of State Frank LaRose – called on Ohio Republicans in an Oct. 20 media release to condemn the ad, calling it a "new and unacceptable low in Ohio politics."
"Every single Republican candidate running for statewide office should immediately and publicly denounce this ad," Russo and other Democrats said in the media release "Silence in the face of such destructive rhetoric is an endorsement of it. It is time to raise the standard of public discourse in Ohio and focus on the practical solutions our citizens deserve."
David Axelrod, a political consultant and CNN analyst, also took to X to condemn Ramaswamy and said that he had an "unquenchable ambition" to become Ohio's next governor.
"I've been around politics longer than [Ramaswamy's] been alive, and I don't think I've seen anything uglier," Axelrod wrote.
Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy's campaign, doubled down on support for the ad and accused Acton of being a "serial fabulist who has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of before deciding who to entrust as governor."
The growing condemnation from both Democrats and some Republicans is part of the larger conversations swirling around campaign ads in Ohio. Campaigns have spent more than $450 million on ads, according to AdImpact, and have become more inflammatory and exaggerated as the respective races drag on.
Jerry Miller, a professor of communication studies at Ohio University and an expert in political communications, told The Dispatch that while campaign advertising may appear especially combative this election season, its underlying purpose remains largely unchanged: to draw sharp contrasts, undermine opponents and shape voters' perceptions.
Miller said that dynamic is particularly evident in the contest between Ramaswamy and Acton, neither of whom has previously held elected office. As a result, he said, campaign attacks are more likely to focus on questions of credibility, character and public image rather than records in elected office.
Although the ad never formally aired on television, Miller said it still served multiple strategic purposes. On one hand, it sought to discredit Amy Acton; on the other, it provided Ramaswamy with a measure of plausible deniability because it was distributed online by a political action group that is not officially affiliated with his campaign.
Miller said the ad's online circulation may have been intentional, arguing that the attention generated by its release, including coverage from national media outlets such as the New York Times and ABC News has helped amplify its message and spark public discussion even without a traditional television rollout.
"What is especially troubling with this ad is the subject matter and its use of a woman, presumably Amy Acton's mother, to deliver the allegations," Miller said in an email to The Dispatch.
"Whether or not the ad was ever meant to air in major media markets, the attention it draws, from news outlets that cover it to scholars like me who study political advertising and communication, lends it a measure of legitimacy and widens its audience," he said. "That makes it a strategically effective move for whoever is behind it."
Director of Ohio Department of Development says 'there are lines we should cross'
Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, said the ad crossed lines that shouldn't have been crossed.
"We can disagree on plenty of things without losing our sense of decency," Mihalik wrote on her X account.
Meghan McCain, daughter of the late John McCain, condemns ad
"This is a dastardly ad," Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late 2008 presidential nominee John McCain, said on X.
"It should never have been created. Shame on whatever consultant firm created this."
U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown calls on opponent to condemn ad
"The ad released by Vivek Ramaswamy is disgusting," Brown said. "Everyone, including Jon Husted, should be willing to condemn this ad."
Libertarian candidate for Ohio governor speaks out
"You don't weaponize someone's personal history of being a victim of abuse against them – and then shift gears and gaslight everyone about the situation – unless you, yourself, have an abusive personality. That is Vivek Ramaswamy and the Ohio Republican Party," said Don Kissick, the Libertarian candidate for Ohio governor.
Chuck Todd, former host of Meet the Press
"Imagine knowing these circumstances and deciding to green light this ad anyway. We are so numb to the gutter politics of this era that it’s sometimes hard to shock but I have a feeling Mike DeWine and John Kasich Republicans are going to be disgusted with Ramaswamy on this one and it costs him more votes than Acton."
Laura Loomer, far-right activist
"Amy Acton’s stepfather never stood trial and never faced a conviction after Amy Acton accused him of rape. He was accused. He was never convicted," she said.
"We have seen over and over again how anyone can accuse someone of rape. They did it to Brett Kavanaugh. They did it to President Trump. Liberal women love accusing men of rape."
State Rep. Beth Lear, R-Galena
"When the message is true and the Left doesn’t like it, what do they do? Discredit the messenger of course!"
Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Criticism grows over attack ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother
