By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Amy Acton has drawn rare bipartisan condemnation in Ohio, highlighting a new low in an already vicious midterm election season.
Ad crosses personal boundary
The ad shows Acton's mother accusing her daughter of lying and urging Ohioans not to vote for her. Acton, 60, says she has not spoken to her mother since age 12, when she and her brother were removed from their mother's custody after their stepfather was arrested and charged with raping Acton. Acton last saw her mother at the courthouse, where her mother supported her husband as Acton testified against him.
Acton's response and voter reaction
At a campaign event on a farm in Wharton, Ohio, a supporter asked Acton for a hug after watching the ad. "All I wanted to do was cry and hug you and tell you it'll be OK," the woman said. The moment underscored a rare display of humanity amid a campaign season marked by increasingly personal attacks.
Broader trend of vicious attack ads
In Michigan, Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed faces Islamophobic ads falsely linking him to terrorist organizations, with Donald Trump amplifying the rhetoric. In Texas, Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton and allies have run AI-generated ads attacking opponent James Talarico as effeminate and misrepresenting his stance on transgender rights; JD Vance added baseless speculation about Talarico's sexuality. Both Trump and Vance defended Ramaswamy's ad.
Republican condemnation and ad pulled
Outgoing Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who endorsed Ramaswamy, called the ad "wrong." Amid mounting pressure and polling showing the ad backfiring, Ramaswamy's campaign discontinued it on Thursday.
Historical context and Ohio implications
The episode recalls the 1964 "Daisy" ad, but current norms have eroded further under Trump, who has repeatedly crossed political and constitutional red lines. The Ramaswamy ad nonetheless provoked a rare bipartisan rebuke. Observers question whether the fallout could damage other Ohio Republicans, such as incumbent Senator Jon Husted.
Acton's history of threats
Acton first gained prominence as Ohio's health director during the pandemic, earning praise for clear briefings but later becoming a target of armed protests, antisemitic slurs, and misinformation. At a county fair campaign stop this fall, an armed man lunged at her; she was uninjured and stayed to treat an injured bystander.
Kansas Senate race tests Democratic hopes
In Kansas, United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton is challenging Republican incumbent Senator Roger Marshall. Hamilton, a former Republican, frames his campaign around the "Wizard of Oz" metaphor, arguing Washington needs courage, brains, and heart. Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century.
Arizona district seen as bellwether
In Arizona's 1st Congressional District, Democrat Amish Shah, an emergency room doctor, faces Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker backed by Trump. Political consultant Stan Barnes describes a "revolution in slow motion" as Democratic gains erode Republican suburban support in Maricopa County.
