Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Denounces Campaign Attack Ad Against Amy Acton
COLUMBUS, Ohio β Ohio Governor Mike DeWine publicly criticized a controversial campaign attack advertisement targeting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton, urging the campaign of Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy to pull the spot.
Speaking to reporters at the Statehouse in Columbus, DeWine labeled the advertisement “deeply, deeply troubling” and directly called for its removal.
“I would just urge the Ramaswamy campaign to take this down,” DeWine said, reiterating that the ad was “just wrong.”
The advertisement in question features Actonβs estranged mother making personal allegations against her daughter. The commercial drew immediate condemnation from Actonβs campaign and family members, who noted that Acton has been estranged from her mother for decades following severe childhood abuse. Acton revealed that between the ages of 10 and 12, she was sexually abused by her mother’s then-husband before authorities intervened and removed the children from the home.
Actonβs brother, Philip Stearns, released a statement defending his sister and condemning the political use of their childhood trauma. Stearns recounted that Acton routinely stepped in to protect him during their youth and criticized Ramaswamy for turning their family’s past into a campaign issue.
While DeWine has endorsed the Republican ticket, his public rebuff of the ad highlights internal party friction over personal campaign tactics in the closing weeks of the gubernatorial race. Ongoing coverage of the dispute has been reported by local and national outlets, including 10TV Columbus and CBS News.
