Ramaswamy campaign ends controversial attack ad after backlash

Key facts

• Ramaswamy's campaign is no longer airing an attack ad featuring Amy Acton's mother.
• The ad focused on Acton's mother's allegations of child rape against her daughter's stepfather.
• Acton's mother had previously accused her daughter of lying about their family's living conditions.
• Ramaswamy stated he wants the campaign to focus on policy rather than ads.

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, confirmed on Thursday that his campaign is no longer airing an attack ad that featured the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. The ad had prompted a wave of revulsion since Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, lost custody of her daughter in 1978, when her second husband, Cledith Arthur, was charged with raping her daughter between the ages of 10 and 12. Ramaswamy stated that the ad "ran to completion" and that he would prefer the campaign focus on policy. Acton's campaign released a new ad criticizing Ramaswamy for exploiting her childhood trauma.