Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton appears in a campaign ad. (Image: Screengrab via Ohioans for Amy Acton)
A GOP attack ad targeting a Democratic candidate using a woman purporting to be her mother appears to have backfired in a huge way, with numerous commentators across social media decrying the spot as "despicable beyond words."
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who was previously kicked out of the second Trump administration after being set up to co-lead DOGE, is currently running for governor in Ohio, and in a surprising turn of events for a solid red-state, is running consistently behind his Democratic opponent, former Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton, in the polls. On Tuesday, an ad from the Ramaswamy campaign began to circulate online featuring an elderly woman claiming to be Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, and accusing her daughter of "lying" her entire life, including her past claims about living in a tent at one point during her childhood.
Acton and her family swiftly denounced the ad, with Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, saying in a statement that Ramaswamy was attempting to exploit the sexual abuse his sister allegedly faced from their mother's husband as a child.
"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," Stearns said.
Reactions across social media were similarly disgusted, accusing Ramaswamy of going "beyond the pale" for political points, and suggesting that the use of Acton's mother was not likely to be effective, given the allegations against her.
"What Vivek Ramaswamy has done here is despicable beyond words," Pod Save America host Jon Favreau posted in response to Stearns' statement.
"This is absolutely disgusting and the act of a desperate campaign," pollster Natalie Jackson posted to X. "This woman lost custody of her kids because her husband abused Amy. How anyone can look at that and say, 'let's put her on air,' is beyond me. Every consultant and operative who worked on or paid for this should be permanently out of politics."
"And notable the spot comes when [Vivek's] image was 37/53 in new Marist poll," Politico's Jonathan Martin posted. "Which takes real work when you’ve never even been in office."
"The Amy Acton ad shows a mother who seems mentally unwell. She’s to be pitied," former congressman Denver Lee Riggleman III posted. "Ludicrous and scumbag ad by Vivek. And then the algorithm pushes this nonsense. This ad will backfire. Vivek Ramaswamy is such a lowlife and s—— stain that you always consider the source."
"This mom lost custody of Amy Acton after her new husband was investigated for molesting Acton when she was in middle school. Mom left town with step father, Acton has said, to avoid charges," The Atlantic's Michael Scherer posted.
Even fellow Republicans found the ad repellent and ill-advised.
"My parents are democrats and if the democrats ever lobbied them to run attack ads against me, if I were running for office, it would be inexcusable and disgusting," Brady Penman, a Turning Point-affiliated Young Republicans chairman, posted. "Honor thy father and mother should also apply to honoring thy daughter and son no matter their politics. I’m disappointed in Vivek’s team for green lighting this ad."
Another X user, whose name indicated that they are a follower of far-right influencer Nick Fuentes, went even harder against Ramaswamy, calling him a "disgusting freak" for using Acton's "worthless mother" in an ad.