Ramaswamy's Ohio ad featuring Acton's estranged mother draws criticism; Vance tells Republican critics to 'stop whining'

Summary

Republicans have criticized a campaign ad by Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that features Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. In the ad, Arthur says her daughter has 'lied her entire life.' In a Tuesday statement, Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, said his sister is estranged from their mother, who married a man who sexually abused Acton when she was 12, and who stayed in the marriage after her husband was arrested and her children were taken away from her. The Guardian reports that Vice-President JD Vance criticized Republicans who have spoken out against the ad, telling them to 'stop whining.' South China Morning Post reports that Ramaswamy faced a firestorm of criticism on Wednesday, and The Atlantic reports that he has drawn condemnation from both the right and the left for casually dismissing Acton's account of being raped as a child.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   21 Oct 2026, 19:34 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Vance criticized Republicans who have spoken out against Ramaswamy's ad, which features Acton's mother calling her daughter a liar, and quotes Acton's brother saying his sister is estranged from their mother.

2. The Atlantic

   21 Oct 2026, 21:50 UTCSource ↗

   The Atlantic reports that Ramaswamy has drawn condemnation from the right and the left for casually dismissing his opponent's account of being raped as a child.

3. South China Morning Post

   21 Oct 2026, 22:34 UTCSource ↗

   The South China Morning Post reports that Ramaswamy faced a firestorm of criticism on Wednesday over an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, whose husband was charged with raping Acton when she was a child.