Vance Tells GOP to 'Stop Whining' About Ramaswamy's Controversial Ad

Vice President J.D. Vance on Wednesday defended Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial campaign ad that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's ad includes Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, calling her daughter a "liar" and urging voters not to support her.

Acton has stated that her mother's husband sexually abused her as a child, and that Arthur was aware of the abuse. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-SC, criticized the ad as "disgusting," telling CNN that Ramaswamy had "limbo under the lowest bar of decency."

Vance, campaigning in Ramaswamy's home state, urged fellow Republicans to shift their focus from criticizing the advertisement to winning the election. "Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days," Vance told reporters in Cincinnati.

The ad has drawn national attention and criticism, even from some Republicans. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, who is running for a full term in the Senate, stated he "would not have run that ad."

President Trump, however, suggested he was open to Ramaswamy's approach. "I hear the mother went very rogue on the daughter," Trump told reporters. "Doesn’t have a lot of respect for the daughter, and I think the mother is a witness to things also. So who knows? And you have to figure that out. It’s a very unusual situation to have a mother hate her daughter that much."

Trump is scheduled to campaign in Ohio next week for Republican candidates. Ohio is considered a key battleground state in the upcoming midterm elections.

Vance expressed frustration with what he perceived as Republican infighting over the ad. "Whether the ad was appropriate or not is not really my concern," he said. "I got to be honest that when I see Republicans, people in my party, reacting so strongly, especially elected officials — look, have the opinion you want to have on that ad. If you think it was too tough, say it was too tough. If you think it wasn’t tough enough, say that."

He added, "But I have to admit that I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country, who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America."

Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former GOP presidential candidate, defended the $4 million ad, stating that his campaign released it in part due to Acton's refusal to debate him. "I would love for this race and this election to be about the substantive issues that impact Ohioans, and unfortunately, Amy Acton has been hiding from those issues," he said.

Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, called the ad a "desperate, disgusting attack" and accused Ramaswamy of exploiting Acton's past trauma. Stearns stated that their birth mother "stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died."

Acton has previously spoken about her childhood experiences, including allegations of abuse by her stepfather, which she says led to her removal from the home. In the ad, her mother, Arthur, accused Acton of lying about her past.

The race between Ramaswamy and Acton has been characterized by intense personal attacks from both campaigns. Ramaswamy's allies have suggested Acton has issues with alcohol, while Acton has labeled Ramaswamy a "serial liar" and a "scam artist."

Polls indicate a tight race for the governorship, with the Senate contest also appearing to be a toss-up. Trump won Ohio by 11 points in the 2024 election.