Amy Acton Campaign Condemns Rival's Ad Featuring Estranged Mother

The campaign for Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has strongly criticized her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, over a political advertisement featuring Acton's estranged mother. The ad, which circulated on social media, features Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, who has accused her daughter of lying about her past and stated that Acton "needs help."

Acton's campaign has described the ad as a "disgusting attack" and a "despicable low," alleging that Ramaswamy's campaign used her mother to politicize her history of childhood abuse. Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, released a statement calling the ad an attempt to turn "sexual abuse Amy endured at 12 years old from our birth mother's husband into a political talking point."

"After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy's rapist until he died," Stearns added. He also stated that his mother was married to the man who sexually abused Amy Acton.

A spokesperson for Ramaswamy, Connie Luck, did not deny or denounce the ad in a statement, instead accusing Acton of being a "serial fabulist" with "serious problems with the truth." Luck questioned Acton's actions as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the pandemic and urged Acton to "stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions, and let voters decide." Luck also stated, "We don't know what happened between Amy and her mother, who first spoke out about Amy in 2020."

Acton, in an interview with Spectrum News, stated, "I won't normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is something I'm just complaining about." She reiterated that she was removed from her mother's custody at age 12 due to severe abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse.

Acton has previously spoken publicly about her experiences. In a 2019 interview with the Youngstown Vindicator, she described a turbulent childhood marked by abuse and neglect. She alleged that her mother's second husband molested her between the ages of 9 and 12. Charges were filed against her stepfather, and Acton testified against him. A newspaper article from August 1978 from the Youngstown Vindicator corroborates that Acton's stepfather was bound over to the grand jury in connection with the rape of a 12-year-old girl.

Acton's mother and stepfather remained married until his death in 2004. Following the allegations, Acton's father gained custody, which she credits with helping her turn her life around. She went on to excel academically and became a doctor.

Ramaswamy has previously faced criticism for comments perceived as dismissive of opponents' personal histories, including a remark that Acton "only ever talks about something that happened to her" instead of focusing on a positive message.