The governor’s race in Ohio escalated sharply on Tuesday following the release of a controversial video featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who accused her daughter of lying about her past. The video, which circulated on social media starting Monday night, includes Arthur calling Acton “a liar” and dismissing the hardships Acton claims to have experienced during her childhood. The 60-second statement did not identify its producers or financiers and has yet to appear in broadcast or paid digital advertising.

Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee, is currently engaged in a tight contest with Republican challenger Vivek Ramaswamy. Acton’s campaign swiftly condemned the video, offering court documents and local media reports to confirm Acton’s version of events. According to these records, Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s home following the arrest and indictment of Arthur’s second husband, Cledith Arthur, on charges of sexually abusing Acton when she was under the age of 13. The arrest was prompted by a report from Acton’s biological father, Gerald Stearns, in 1978. Cledith Arthur reportedly evaded law enforcement after moving away, despite multiple warrants issued for his arrest.

In response to the attack, Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, issued a statement criticizing Ramaswamy, alleging the Republican candidate was exploiting family trauma for political gain. “After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died,” Philip Stearns said. The Acton campaign also released an ad featuring him recounting their difficult upbringing, emphasizing his sister’s role as protector during a traumatic childhood.

Ramaswamy’s campaign, while declining to confirm any involvement in producing the video, reiterated doubts about Acton’s credibility through statements from spokeswoman Connie Luck, who described Acton as “a serial fabulist” and suggested voters need to be aware of her purported history of dishonesty.

This is not the first instance of Ramaswamy or his allies questioning Acton’s character. Earlier in October, Vice President JD Vance referred to Acton using disparaging language during a campaign event, while a Republican ad tied Acton to alleged failings in Ohio’s COVID-19 response by highlighting a woman’s claim that her mother died alone in a nursing home under Acton’s tenure as health director. Fact-checking by local media subsequently revealed the woman’s mother had died in Kentucky months after Ohio’s restrictions were lifted, undermining the ad’s claims.

The release of the video and the accompanying familial accusations add a new and highly personal dimension to what has already been a contentious governor’s race in Ohio, with both campaigns locked in a volatile battle in the closing stages of the campaign.