Vivek Ramaswamy ends television campaign advertisement featuring opponent mother

The campaign for Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy is no longer airing a controversial television advertisement featuring the mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. The Hill and NOTUS reported that the ad ended its run after the campaign previously spent millions of dollars to broadcast it across Ohio. The advertisement featured Acton's mother calling her daughter a liar and telling voters not to elect her. [1][5]

The advertisement faced condemnation from members of both political parties before it was taken down. As FTMQ Politics reported earlier, Acton called the commercial despicable and explained that her mother is not well, while her brother and family also condemned the attack. Republican Governor Mike DeWine and former Governor John Kasich both urged Ramaswamy to remove the advertisement, while President Donald Trump previously urged Ramaswamy to keep running it. [1][8][9]

The commercial generated additional political commentary in the state ahead of the election. ABC News reported that Vice President JD Vance praised Ramaswamy for having the audacity to run the advertisement, while Axios reported that an internal Republican poll found the advertisement was backfiring on the Ramaswamy campaign. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Acton addressed the commercial directly during a campaign rally in Cincinnati. [2][3][4]

Ramaswamy, a Republican entrepreneur, and Acton, a physician, researcher, and former state health director, are competing in the November 3, 2026, election to succeed incumbent Republican Governor Mike DeWine. DeWine is ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor of Ohio. [6][7]