WYANDOT COUNTY — Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton has responded to an ad produced by the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign.
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The ad features Acton’s estranged mother, who accused her daughter of lying about her childhood and of having to live in a tent.
Ramaswamy is standing by the ad this afternoon, as the Acton campaign explains that her mother lost custody of her after prosecutors charged her husband with raping Acton, as previously reported.
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Acton spoke with our news partner, WBNS in Columbus, after a campaign event in Wyandot County. She condemned the ad.
“It was a horrible and hideous thing to do, a sad thing,” she said. “I feel like it was an exploitative thing to do.”
Acton’s mother lost custody of her when she was 12.
Her husband was charged with sexually assaulting Acton in 1978.
The Ramaswamy campaign ad featuring Acton’s estranged mom has drawn bipartisan criticism.
“Her mother chose to speak out. She spoke out several years ago. That’s between Amy Acton and her mother,” Ramaswamy said.
As of now, the ad hasn’t aired on TV yet.
The Ramaswamy campaign said they’re putting $4 million behind it.
To push back, the Acton campaign has put together an ad featuring her brother explaining their difficult childhood.
With less than two weeks until election day, Ohio voters will have the final say.
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