U.S. Senator J.D. Vance has publicly urged fellow Republicans to cease criticism of a controversial attack advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton. The ad, which includes Acton's mother calling her a liar, has drawn bipartisan backlash, but Vance stated he was "a little bit disgusted" by his party's focus on the ad rather than Democratic policy proposals.
The advertisement, promoted by Republican candidate for Ohio governor Vivek Ramaswamy, reportedly cost millions to air. It features Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, stating her daughter "lied her entire life." Notably, the ad omits the context that Arthur's husband was charged with raping Acton when she was a child. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother's custody following the 1978 charges. Acton has stated she has not spoken to her mother since that time. Her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, died in 2004 without ever being prosecuted on the rape charge.
Ramaswamy confirmed his campaign was behind the ad, pledging to spend an additional $4 million to broadcast it further. The ad's release has sparked condemnation from various political figures and from Acton's own family. Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, released a counter-ad detailing childhood abuse and stating, "Amy always got the worst of it," while criticizing Ramaswamy's "contempt for Ohio."
Even some Republicans have distanced themselves from the ad. Former presidential candidate Nikki Haley called Ramaswamy "a bad guy" for his continued use of such tactics. Ohio Senator John Husted stated, "I would not have run that ad," and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose indicated he also would not run such an advertisement, though he noted candidates make their own decisions.
When asked about the ad, former President Donald Trump stated, "I know nothing about it. I heard the mother went very rogue on the daughter. It's a very unusual situation to have a mother hate a daughter that much. But I don't think that has anything to do with Vivek."
David Lublin, a professor at American University's School of Public Affairs, commented on the intensity and shifting boundaries of political attack ads in the U.S. He noted that while using relatives against opponents is not new, this instance is particularly concerning due to its connection to a rape allegation. Lublin suggested that such tactics, amplified by rhetoric from figures like Donald Trump, contribute to a coarsening of political discourse and are often aimed at depressing opponent turnout rather than persuading undecided voters.
The Ohio governor's race, previously considered a lean Republican contest, has been re-categorized as a "toss up" by The Cook Political Report, indicating a tightening race.