Ramaswamy Confirms His Campaign Made the Ad With Acton's Estranged Mother, Puts $4 Million Behind It

Vivek Ramaswamy confirmed on Tuesday evening that his campaign made the viral video in which the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Dr. Amy Acton, urges Ohioans not to vote for her own daughter. CNN reported that Ramaswamy said, "It is an ad from our campaign," and that the campaign is putting $4 million behind the spot on television and streaming services. Axios first reported the size of the buy.

The video, one minute long, carries no disclaimer naming who paid for it. An Ohio political blogger, D.J. Byrnes, first posted it on Monday night. Byrnes told CNN he got it from a voter who recorded it after seeing it as part of a poll. It spread fast on social media and was shared by Donald Trump Jr., among others.

What the mother says in the video

In the video, Donna Arthur attacks her daughter's honesty and her account of her childhood. "It's not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem," Arthur says. "She is a liar. She lies about her past." She also says, "She's lied her entire life," and adds, "My daughter needs help, and she can't help you if she needs help herself."

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Acton has been estranged from her mother since 1978, when her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, faced a rape charge over the abuse of 12 year old Acton. He left the state before a conviction, warrants for his arrest were issued in 1978 and 1981, and he died in 2004 in southern Pennsylvania, the Dispatch reported from court records.

The family and the campaigns respond

Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, condemned the video in a statement released by her campaign on Tuesday morning. He said Ramaswamy had "stooped to such a despicable low" by turning the sexual abuse Acton endured at twelve years old into a political talking point, and that their mother stayed married to the man who abused her until he died. Later on Tuesday, Acton's campaign released its own ad featuring Stearns, in which he says Ramaswamy is "not fit to lead."

Acton answered in an interview with WOSU Public Media. She said her mother is the one lying. "It's awful to see her this way," Acton said, adding that her opponent had taken advantage of someone "who's clearly not well, who is older."

Earlier on Tuesday, before the confirmation, Ramaswamy campaign spokeswoman Connie Luck would not say whether the campaign made the video. She called Acton "a serial fabulist" and said people who know Acton well, including "her own mother," are "clearly warning Ohioans not to vote for her." An official with V-PAC, the main super PAC backing Ramaswamy, told CNN it did not make the video. Sherrod Brown, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Ohio, called the video "disgusting" on X. Ramaswamy was heckled about the video at a Columbus area town hall on Tuesday evening, CNN reported.

One of the closest governor races in the country

Acton, a physician who served as Ohio's health director, and Ramaswamy are running to replace Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who cannot run again. CNN has described the contest as one of the most competitive governor's races in the country. Acton has declined to debate Ramaswamy. Vice President JD Vance is set to travel to Ohio on Wednesday to campaign for Ramaswamy, CNN reported.