Ramaswamy Pulls Controversial Ad Featuring Rival's Mother After Poll Drop

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has withdrawn a controversial attack advertisement that featured the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, following a reported drop in his polling numbers. Ramaswamy confirmed Thursday that the ad, which included Donna Arthur calling her daughter a “lifelong liar” and urging Ohioans to vote against her, would no longer be broadcast.

The decision comes after a Republican-commissioned poll, reported by Axios, found Acton had opened an eight-point lead, 50% to 42%, among likely voters. This survey indicated a shift from before the ad began circulating on October 19, when Acton held a narrower two-point lead of 47% to 45%.

The poll, which surveyed 800 likely Ohio voters between October 23 and 26, also indicated that 86% of respondents had seen or heard about the commercial. Of those familiar with the ad, a two-to-one ratio reported it made them more likely to support Acton.

Ramaswamy's campaign had initially allocated $4 million to air the ad statewide, but approximately $1 million was spent before its withdrawal, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact. The advertisement featured Arthur, who has been estranged from Acton for nearly five decades, criticizing her daughter's character and disputing Acton's account of a difficult childhood.

Acton has previously spoken about experiencing sexual abuse between the ages of 10 and 12 by her stepfather, and stated her mother did not protect her. Her stepfather was indicted following the allegations, and Acton and her brother were subsequently removed from their mother's custody.

The ad drew criticism from various political figures, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, who called the advertisement "deeply troubling." However, former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance defended Ramaswamy, with Trump stating Acton was "fair game" and Vance advising critics to "stop whining."

Ramaswamy had previously defended the ad, asserting that Acton had misrepresented her past and avoided addressing key issues for Ohio voters. National Republican operatives have expressed concern that the ad's controversy could negatively impact other Republican campaigns in the state.

Ramaswamy stated Thursday that the ad had "run to completion" and that his campaign was now focusing on four other commercials. Acton's campaign described the original advertisement as "despicable" and called for an apology from Ramaswamy.