- Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton are competing in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election to succeed term-limited Governor Mike DeWine.
- Acton is targeting traditionally Republican regions as Democrats seek to win the Ohio governor's office for the first time since 2006.
- The campaign gained national attention after Ramaswamy aired an ad featuring Acton's birth mother, who called the governor hopeful a liar and implied she has mental health issues.
- Acton, Ohio's former public health director, has previously been open about surviving childhood homelessness and abuse before her mother lost custody.
- Ramaswamy has stood by the controversial advertisement while promoting his platform as a biotech entrepreneur focused on expanding American energy.
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