- A political attack ad supporting Donald Trump-backed candidate Vivek Ramaswamy features the estranged mother of Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, who accuses Acton of lying about her past.
- Acton, who has been estranged from her mother since 1978 following the sexual abuse charges against her stepfather, condemned the ad alongside her campaign as a despicable low.
- In the ad, Acton's mother calls her daughter a liar and denies her claims of growing up in a tent and enduring childhood trauma. “She lies about her past,” Acton’s mother says. “She says she grew up living in a tent. None of that is true. She’s lied her entire life. My daughter needs help, and she can’t help you if she needs help herself.”
- Ramaswamy's campaign defended the ad's message, asserting that Ohio voters deserve to hear warnings from people who know Acton best, drawing fierce condemnation from Democrats. Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s campaign, told The Independent that “everyone who knows her best,” including her mother, “are clearly warning Ohioans not to vote for her.”
- Despite the political clash, a recent Marist Poll shows Acton leading Ramaswamy 50 percent to 43 percent among likely voters in the Ohio governor's race.
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