Amy Acton's Mother Stars in Ad Accusing Daughter of Lying, Daughter Claims Mother Enabled Abuser

A new advertisement in the Ohio gubernatorial race features Donna Arthur, the birth mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton, urging voters to reject her daughter and calling her a liar. Acton's campaign has responded by accusing Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy of sinking to a "despicable low" by using Acton's personal history, including her past as a child sex abuse survivor, as a political weapon.

In the video, Arthur states, "I love my daughter, but when I saw her lying about her opponent—and it’s not easy for a mother to say this—but Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar. She lies about her past." Arthur also claims Acton's narrative of a difficult childhood, including living in a tent, is untrue.

Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, released a statement through her campaign asserting that Ramaswamy's campaign is attempting to leverage Acton's trauma. "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 said. "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."

Acton, who previously served as the Director of the Ohio Department of Health, has been open about her challenging upbringing. She has spoken about her mother divorcing her father when she was young and later marrying a man, referred to as Bud, who she alleges was accused of molestation. Acton has stated that his abuse led to criminal charges and that she was eventually removed from the home, later living with her biological father.

Arthur, however, has presented a different account, accusing Acton's biological father of abuse during her pregnancy with Acton and suggesting that Acton's accusations against her stepfather were a ploy for custody. Arthur also reportedly faced charges, and Acton's stepfather allegedly fled.

The race for Ohio governor has been marked by intense personal attacks. Ramaswamy's allies have previously attempted to portray Acton as unstable and have raised questions about alcohol use. Acton has characterized Ramaswamy as a "serial liar" and a "scam artist," and her campaign has targeted his business dealings. Acton currently holds a slight lead over Ramaswamy in aggregate polling, despite Ohio's lean towards the Republican party in recent presidential elections.