Gov. DeWine Condemns Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ad
Gov. Mike DeWine urged Vivek Ramaswamy to remove his attack ad featuring Amy Acton’s mother.
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Updated Oct 22, 9:00pm ETBoth sides, every morning
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What happened
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWineMike DeWineGovernor of Ohio since 2019 urged Republican Vivek RamaswamyVivek RamaswamyAmerican presidential candidate and businessman (born 1985) to take down a campaign ad featuring Democrat Amy ActonAmy ActonAmerican physician and politician (born 1966)’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur. DeWine called the ad deeply troubling, but said he would not withdraw his endorsement of Ramaswamy for governor. The ad calls Acton a liar and disputes her childhood account, after Ramaswamy’s campaign said it would spend $4 million promoting it. Acton says she was sexually abused by her stepfather, removed from her mother’s custody and estranged from her since 1978. Ramaswamy defended the ad as legitimate, while President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance backed him. The race remains unsettled shortly before Election Day.
How each side covered it
From the left
Left-leaning outlets framed the ad as a moral breach, with more focus on family trauma than campaign combat. CNN said the spot weaponized a childhood abuse story to attack Acton’s credibility and fitness for office. The New York Times emphasized a Republican split over scorched-earth tactics. The Daily Beast cast it as a late gamble that could backfire.
From the right
Right-leaning outlets led with a decency fight inside Republican politics, while leaving room for a hardball defense. The Washington Examiner emphasized DeWine’s public break with the nominee over the tactic. The New York Post cited JD Vance urging Republicans to “stop whining” and focus on winning. Breitbart highlighted fears that the fight could hurt Republicans with women voters.
Headlines
Left54
CNN · 22hInside Amy Acton’s response to the incendiary attack ad featuring her estranged mother | CNN Politics
The Guardian · 11hTrump attacks Ohio governor over call for Ramaswamy to drop ‘deeply troubling’ ad
HuffPost · Oct 21'Pretty Damn Low': Republicans Pan Ramaswamy's Ad Featuring Opponent's Unfit Mother
Los Angeles Times · 15hTrump backs Vivek Ramaswamy on controversial ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton's estranged mother
Daily Beast · Oct 21MAGA Candidate Dealt Humiliating Blow After âSinisterâ Ad
Center29
USA TODAY · 11hTrump defends controversial ad in Ohio governor's race
CNBC · 11hTrump defends Ramaswamy ad with Acton's estranged mom after bipartisan criticism
NBC News · 15hOhio Gov. Mike DeWine calls on Vivek Ramaswamy to take down ad featuring opponent’s estranged mother
Associated Press · 17hRepublican Gov. Mike DeWine denounces Ramaswamy ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton's estranged mother
Wall Street Journal · 11hTrump Praises Controversial Ohio Ad Featuring Democrat’s Estranged Mother
Right15
Daily Mail · 9hTrump swears he 'knows nothing' about brutal mother attack ad in Ohio
Breitbart News · Oct 21Nancy Mace: Ramaswamy’s 'Ad Might Have Cost JD Vance the Presidency'
The Gateway Pundit · 7hWATCH: Trump Spars With Leftwing Media and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Over Amy Acton’s Mother Appearing in Campaign Ad – “If It Were My Mother, I’d be Fair Game!” * The Gateway Pundit * by Jordan Conradson
Washington Examiner · 16hVance hopes home state appeal helps Ohio GOP candidates
The Blaze · 8hTrump endorses controversial Ramaswamy ad — and bashes media trying to force him to take video down
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