Ramaswamy backlash mounts as Ohio governor urges him to take down 'deeply troubling' ad

Ramaswamy backlash mounts as Ohio governor urges him to take down 'deeply troubling' ad Vice President JD Vance defending the ad on Wednesday after it drew outrage from both parties - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in The backlash against a Vivek Ramaswamy campaign ad that features his rival’s estranged mother has reached new heights, with Ohio's Republican governor Mike DeWine urging him to take it down. DeWine called the ad, which spotlights abuse Ramaswamy’s rival Dr. Amy Acton endured as a child, “deeply, deeply troubling” in comments on Thursday. “It's wrong to run this ad,” he said. “I would urge Ramaswamy's campaign to take this down.” His condemnation puts him at odds with Ramaswamy, who he endorsed. DeWine instead took sides with Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor and former member of his Cabinet. Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate, confirmed his team was responsible for the 60-second video and doubled down after backlash, saying he would spend $4 million to broadcast it online and on TV. The video has drawn outrage from both parties, with Vice President JD Vance defending the ad on Wednesday and blasting fellow Republicans who have spoken out against it. "Politics is a tough business," Vance said at a campaign rally in Ohio. "I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America.” Vance said Democrats have thrown “every dirty trick in the political book at Vivek,” who he considers a close personal friend while “the whole time Vivek has stood tall and talked about what he wants to accomplish.” The controversial ad features Acton's birth mother, Donna Arthur, who calls her daughter "a liar" and insinuates that she has mental health issues. Acton has not seen her mother since 1978. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather was indicted for raping Acton. Police and court records show Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978. The charges came after Acton's biological father reported him to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.