Ohio Ad War: Ramaswamy Campaign Ends $4 Million Spot Featuring Acton’s Mother

The Ramaswamy campaign spent $4 million on a television ad that used the estranged mother of Democratic challenger Amy Acton to question her credibility. The 30-second spot, which debuted last week, has finished its scheduled run on Ohio airwaves.

The commercial features Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother. In the video, Arthur calls her daughter a liar and urges voters to oppose Acton. The ad does not discuss the specific details of a case from nearly 50 years ago, in which a then-stepfather was charged with raping Acton as a young child. Acton says she has not seen Arthur since those events.

The campaign confirmed the spot is rotating out on Thursday. It stated the ad completed its intended run and that four other commercials are now airing in the final days of the race. The campaign originally planned a minute-long version but cut it down to 30 seconds. Many observers, including term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine who endorsed Ramaswamy, had called for the ad to be pulled.

Acton responded to the ad's airing during a campaign stop in Youngstown on Tuesday. She told reporters she is learning new details about her childhood that she did not previously know. “I think it is despicable,” she said. She expressed gratitude for the support she has received from Ohioans and said she hopes to unpack the new information later.

Acton’s campaign spokesperson, Addie Bullock, issued a statement on Thursday regarding the ad's removal. Bullock said Ramaswamy should never have run the commercial. “It’s totally unsurprising that he took it off the air in the most cowardly way possible, without even the hint of an apology to Dr. Acton, her family, or to the people of Ohio,” Bullock wrote. The Columbus Dispatch was the first outlet to report that the ad was ending its run.

Ramaswamy addressed the situation at a Thursday campaign stop. According to the newspaper report, he said the ad “ran to completion.” He noted that the campaign has put up four other ads to fill the remaining airtime.