Written by: Genevieve Rios-Zamora
Prior to elections for Ohio Governor, a controversial ad run by Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign against Democratic candidate Amy Acton sparked massive outrage, however, Acton saw victory in the end.
In October of this year, Ramaswamy released a campaign ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling Acton a “liar” who has “lied her entire life” about her past, making her unfit for governor. Out of context, it appeared to be a typical campaign ad. However, it was seen in a more disturbing light as the public discovered why Acton had no contact with her mother.
In 1978, Acton’s stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was indicted for sexually assaulting her and her brother, Philip Stearns, when Acton was 12 years old. The two were removed from Arthur’s custody. Despite this, Arthur remained married to her children’s abuser, fled the state with him before he could be put on trial, and defended him until his death in 2004.
Although the ad never explicitly claims it, Arthur’s accusations about her daughter “[lying] her entire life” insinuate that Acton also lied about the sexual abuse. Acton received bipartisan support, and many argued that Ramaswamy stooped too low by using her traumatic past as a tool to garner votes.
Ohio’s current Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who endorsed Ramaswamy, advised him to take it down, acknowledging that it was “just plain wrong.”
Despite widespread criticism, Ramaswamy defended the ad, and claimed that his campaign would spend four million dollars to run it. However, the ad has since been removed. Ramaswamy concluded that “it ran to completion.”
Acton’s campaign responded through a statement given by her brother, who condemned Ramaswamy for “[attempting] to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured…into a political talking point.”
Furthermore, Acton’s campaign spokesperson, Addie Bullock, stated that Ramaswamy’s actions revealed himself as “an out-of-touch, self-serving billionaire who will do anything…to get what he wants.”
As for the polls, support for Acton further increased after the ad was released. In a poll from the New York Times, Acton was ahead of Ramaswamy by six points, 49 percent to 43 percent, between October 26th and November 1st.
In the end, the race for Ohio governor concluded with Acton winning the election, becoming the first woman to govern the state, and the first Democrat elected since 2006.
During her term, Acton’s main priorities include tackling state corruption caused by lobbying interest groups, implementing tax cuts for low-income households, and lowering prescription drug costs.
As she celebrated her win, Acton declared she was “honored to be the next governor of Ohio” and was delighted that the people “had chosen unity and decency over division and hate.”