Vance Warns Republicans Not to Complain About Ramaswamy Ad
Goldlaner.com – Vance warns Republicans not to complain about a controversial campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. Vice President JD Vance urged GOP officials to focus on winning the race rather than publicly criticizing Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign message.
The ad has intensified the Ohio governor’s race less than two weeks before Election Day. It has also renewed attention on Acton’s account of childhood abuse by the man her mother married.
Speaking at a Cincinnati news conference Wednesday focused on the Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts, Vance did not say whether he believed the advertisement was appropriate. Instead, he argued that Republican disagreements over the spot should not become a distraction from the election.
“Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days,” Vance said.
Family Estrangement Becomes a Campaign Issue
The minute-long video features Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, telling voters not to support her daughter. Arthur accuses Acton of dishonesty and says she needs help herself before she can help Ohio residents.
“She’s lied her entire life,” Arthur says in the ad. “My daughter needs help, and she can’t help you if she needs help herself.”
Acton has said she has not been in contact with her mother since she was about 12 years old. She has described abuse by her stepfather, who faced criminal charges. That history prompted objections that the ad turns a deeply personal matter into a political attack.
Democrats condemned the commercial, as did prominent Republicans including Nikki Haley and Meghan McCain. Before Vance’s remarks, Ohio Republican officials had largely avoided commenting publicly on the dispute.
Vance warns Republicans not to complain because he said some party members appeared more upset by the advertisement than by Democratic policies. He did not directly defend the ad’s content or assess its tone.
Ramaswamy Campaign Takes Responsibility
The video emerged Monday night after Ohio political blogger D.J. Byrnes, known as “The Rooster,” posted it online. Byrnes said a voter received the video during a poll, recorded it and shared it with him.
Early Tuesday, Ramaswamy’s campaign did not explicitly confirm that it produced the ad, saying Ohio voters should hear from Acton’s mother. Later that day, Ramaswamy confirmed that the commercial was created by his campaign.
“It is an ad from our campaign,” Ramaswamy said.
The campaign later announced plans to spend $4 million airing the spot on television and streaming services. Spokesperson Connie Luck said voters should consider the criticism voiced by Acton’s mother when evaluating Acton’s honesty.
When the video first circulated online, it did not contain the usual political-ad disclaimer identifying who paid for or authorized it. It also was not listed Tuesday morning as a paid gubernatorial advertisement through AdImpact. An official with V-PAC, the main super PAC supporting Ramaswamy, said the group did not create the video.
Acton Campaign Pushes Back
Acton’s campaign responded with a statement from her brother, Philip Stearns, who denounced Ramaswamy and connected the ad to the abuse Amy Acton says she endured as a child.
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said.
Later Tuesday, Acton’s campaign released its own commercial featuring Stearns. The competing ads brought the candidates’ sharply different responses to the family issue into the final stretch of Ohio’s gubernatorial contest.
Ohio Governor’s Race FAQ
What did JD Vance say? Vance warned Republicans not to complain publicly about the Ramaswamy campaign ad and urged them to concentrate on the election.
Who made the advertisement? Ramaswamy confirmed that the video was produced by his campaign, while V-PAC said it was not involved.
Why has the ad drawn criticism? Critics objected to the use of Amy Acton’s estranged mother and the campaign’s focus on Acton’s childhood family history.
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