Vivek Defends Ad Featuring Rival’s Mother, Says She Made The First Move

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is defending his campaign’s controversial advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Democratic rival Amy Acton. 

Appearing Monday on “Fox & Friends,” Ramaswamy showed no signs of backing away from the ad, which features Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar and disputing her account of a difficult childhood. “You never start a fight, but if you find yourself in one, you finish it,” the Republican said immediately when asked about the ad.

Ramaswamy argued that the ad exposes what he describes as a pattern of dishonesty — while accusing Acton of dodging debates and restricting video recordings at her campaign events.

“They’ve attacked me. They’ve defamed my mother to media silence,” he added. “We’re standing for truth, and so the irony is they’re lying about an ad that was about her lying.”

Ramaswamy described Acton as “crazy, unstable, and dishonest,” and believes her policy positions reflect those same qualities. He argued that the controversy should be settled through a debate, saying Acton could answer the allegations directly if she agreed to appear alongside him. “If they actually believe these were unfair attacks, you know what my opponent would be doing? She would be agreeing to show up on a debate with me,” Ramaswamy said, noting that he had agreed to participate in debates hosted by CNN and NBC. “She is hiding because they want to lie and then deflect accountability.”

The ad, which began circulating online last week, features Arthur urging Ohioans not to elect her daughter and accusing her of fabricating stories about her childhood, including her account of living in a tent. Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed they produced the advertisement and pledged $4 million to promote it statewide. 

The spot has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, including Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a fellow Republican who urged Ramaswamy to take it down. Vice President JD Vance, by contrast, told Republicans criticizing the ad to stop “whining” and focus on winning the race. President Donald Trump has also defended Ramaswamy’s decision to run it. 

Acton has said she was sexually abused as a child by her stepfather, who was charged with rape in 1978 after her biological father reported him to authorities. Court records obtained by the Associated Press show that the stepfather pleaded not guilty, was indicted by a grand jury, and later failed to appear for an October 1978 court date and fled. The case never went to trial. He died in 2004. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s custody.

failed to appear for an October 1978 court date and fled, and the case never went to trial. He died in 2004

Acton has condemned the ad as an exploitation of her family’s history. Her brother, Philip Stearns, has also criticized the campaign for using their estranged mother’s accusations in a political advertisement. Ramaswamy argues that the spot is about Acton’s credibility, not the abuse she has described.

Ramaswamy also used his Fox News appearance to criticize Acton’s campaign for restricting video and audio recordings at some public events, calling the practice “truly bizarre.”

“We love pictures. We don’t love video. And we don’t love audio,” Acton campaign political director Jordan Hawkins told attendees before a recent event in Cincinnati, according to a recording to Ohio’s Statehouse News Bureau.

Ramaswamy argued that the restrictions, combined with Acton’s refusal to debate him, raise questions about her willingness to face public scrutiny.

“What does she have to hide?” Ohio Republicans have asked about the restrictions. But Acton has offered a different explanation: security concerns following an incident at the Canfield Fair on September 7, when a man allegedly approached her while recording on his phone. Two people were injured during the commotion.

Patrick Havas faces charges including two counts of assault, inducing panic, and disorderly conduct. He was allegedly armed with two guns and a Taser, though his attorney has sought to prevent prosecutors from introducing evidence about weapons at trial. Acton was not injured.

Acton has said the incident and what she views as inflammatory rhetoric from Ramaswamy and other Republicans have influenced her approach to public events. The Ramaswamy campaign and the Ohio Republican Party condemned political violence after the Canfield incident was reported.

The competing explanations have turned the recording restrictions into another point of contention in a race already dominated by the personal dispute over the ad and lack of moderated debate. Ramaswamy’s campaign says voters deserve more opportunities to scrutinize Acton; Acton says she will not participate in what she considers an uncivil exchange with her opponent.

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