Ohio’s closely contested gubernatorial race intensified this week following the release of a campaign advertisement by Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that has sparked widespread controversy and condemnation from across the political spectrum. The advertisement features Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, accusing Acton of dishonesty regarding her childhood, which Acton has described as marked by homelessness, abuse, and neglect.

Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed on Tuesday that it produced the ad and plans to spend $4 million promoting it in Ohio’s final weeks before the governor’s race. The 60-second spot includes Arthur asserting that Acton’s claims of hardship are fabricated and urges voters not to elect her. Acton, a former Ohio public health director aged 60, has not had contact with Arthur since being removed from her custody at age 12, following a grand jury indictment of Arthur’s second husband, Cledith Arthur, on charges related to the sexual abuse of Acton. Court and police records confirm that Cledith Arthur was accused of raping Acton during her childhood. He pleaded not guilty and fled the state, evading arrest until his death in 2004.

The ad’s release triggered swift backlash. Acton condemned the commercial as an exploitation of her traumatic history, describing it as a “despicable low” and accusing Ramaswamy of weaponizing her abuse for political gain. Her campaign released a response video featuring her brother, Philip Stearns, who recalled Acton’s protective role in their abusive household while criticizing Ramaswamy’s tactics.

While the ad was amplified by some prominent conservative figures, including Donald Trump Jr. and Vice President JD Vance, it faced criticism from others within the Republican Party. Several GOP politicians and strategists publicly distanced themselves from the ad. Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley called Ramaswamy a “bad guy” and expressed disappointment that he continued such tactics. Ohio Senator Jon Husted said he would not have run the advertisement, warning it risked backlash for the party’s candidates. Republican strategist Dan Hauser deleted his social media posts sharing the ad after reviewing the serious allegations it referenced. Casey Putsch, who ran against Ramaswamy in the Republican primary, denounced the ad and announced his support for Acton.

Democrats and editorial boards also censured the ad. MK Pritzker, wife of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, pledged $500,000 to Acton’s campaign, denouncing Ramaswamy’s exploitation of personal trauma. The Columbus Dispatch characterized the ad as “revolting and unsettling,” emphasizing that sexual violence against children should not be politicized.

Ramaswamy’s campaign defended the advertisement, labeling Acton as “a serial fabulist” with serious credibility issues. Ramaswamy himself expressed frustration that the race was overshadowed by the controversy and called for a focus on substantive issues facing Ohio. Vice President Vance, campaigning in the state, supported Ramaswamy and criticized Republicans who opposed the ad, framing the backlash as misplaced given broader political stakes.

The ad’s origins were initially unclear, surfacing first on social media without a legal “paid for by” label. Ohio political blogger D.J. Byrnes, known as “The Rooster,” posted the video and later reported that it came from a push poll conducted by a messaging firm linked to Ramaswamy’s campaign, suggesting the ad was tested before broader release.

The controversy adds a personal and contentious dimension to what was already a closely watched and expensive gubernatorial contest in Ohio, with Acton and Ramaswamy near parity in recent polls as early voting totals exceed 676,000 ballots cast. Observers warn that the ad may have damaged Ramaswamy’s standing, with some Republican commentators calling it political miscalculation, while his supporters underscore its challenge to Acton’s fitness for office.