Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday defended a controversial campaign advertisement targeting Democratic Ohio gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, saying he was “disgusted” that Republicans were criticizing the spot instead of focusing on Democratic policies.
The 60-second video features Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged birth mother, calling her daughter a liar and urging Ohio voters not to elect her governor. Arthur says Acton has misrepresented her childhood and suggests that Acton needs help. Vivek Ramaswamy later confirmed that his campaign produced it and said Arthur was not paid.
Acton and her brother, Philip Stearns, were removed from their mother’s custody after the abuse allegations and related criminal charges. Acton has said she has not seen her mother since childhood. Stearns called the advertisement an attempt to turn Acton’s abuse into a political issue, while Acton accused Ramaswamy of exploiting an older woman and standing by an abusive family history.
Her mother disputes that account in the video. The governor’s race between Acton, a former Ohio health director, and Ramaswamy is rated a toss-up by major election forecasters, with the controversy emerging roughly two weeks before Election Day.