By Salma El-Sakka
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s television ad featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, has concluded its scheduled run on Ohio airwaves, the Ramaswamy campaign confirmed Thursday.
Ad drew bipartisan criticism
The ad, which debuted last week, showed Donna Arthur — Acton’s mother, whom Acton says she has not seen since her stepfather was charged with raping her as a child nearly 50 years ago — calling her daughter a liar and urging voters not to support her. The spot did not mention details of the rape case. The ad sparked widespread condemnation from both parties, including from term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who has endorsed Ramaswamy.
Campaign says ad completed planned run
Ramaswamy’s campaign said the ad rotated out after completing its intended run, which was backed by $4 million in airtime. The spot initially ran as a minute-long version before being shortened to 30 seconds. The campaign has since launched four other ads in the final days of the race.
Acton responds to ad
Acton, a former state health director, called the ad “despicable” during a campaign stop in Youngstown on Tuesday. She said she was learning new details about her childhood from the ad but expressed gratitude for the support she has received. Her campaign spokesperson, Addie Bullock, criticized Ramaswamy for removing the ad “in the most cowardly way possible” without an apology.
Ramaswamy defends decision
At a Thursday campaign event, Ramaswamy told The Columbus Dispatch that the ad “ran to completion” and that his campaign had put up four new ads. The newspaper first reported the ad’s removal.
