Vance praises controversial ad

Vice President JD Vance praised Ohio Republican Vivek Ramaswamy at a Cincinnati rally on Wednesday for running a TV commercial calling Democratic opponent Amy Acton a liar.

“Vivek Ramaswamy had the audacity to run a TV commercial which calls it out like it is and calls Amy Acton a liar.”

The ad features Acton's estranged mother

The ad shows Acton's long-estranged mother, Donna Arthur, saying Amy has lied about her past and struggles growing up. It circulated on social media late Monday.

Acton calls ad horrible and hideous

At a campaign event in Wyandot County on Wednesday, Acton said the ad was horrible, hideous, sad and exploitative. She said it was exactly like Ramaswamy's entire campaign.

“I think it was a horrible and hideous thing to do, a sad thing, and I feel like it was an exploitative thing to do.”

Acton's history with her mother

Acton has been public about abuse and her tumultuous relationship with her mother, whom she has not spoken to since age twelve. She alleged her mother's second husband molested her between ages nine and twelve.

Acton's brother responds with counter-ad

Acton's campaign released an ad featuring her brother, Philip Stearns, criticizing Ramaswamy for the ad and noting she had been a victim of abuse. Stearns said Ramaswamy has contempt for Amy and Ohio.

“Shame on Vivek. It's the contempt he has for Amy. It's the contempt he has for Ohio. He's not fit to lead.”

Trump says he knows nothing about it

President Donald Trump told ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers on Wednesday he knew nothing about the ad. He called it a very unusual situation but said it had nothing to do with Vivek.

Vance attacks Acton's COVID record

Vance told voters to focus on substance rather than the controversy, attacking Acton over her role as Ohio's health director during COVID. He said she tried to mask children.

“Whether whatever you think about any of the TV advertisements, focus on the substance and focus on the facts. And the fact is that Amy Acton was the woman who tried to mask your children.”

Vance questions Acton's fitness to govern

Vance said Acton could never be governor because she is worried about whether somebody says something mean about her. He said such a person could not serve in Ohio's governor's mansion.

“I think that a person who is more worried about whether somebody says something mean about them, that person could never serve in the governor's mansion of the great state of Ohio.”

Republican senator distances himself from ad

Sen. Jon Husted, who is in a toss-up race for reelection in Ohio, told the Associated Press after Wednesday's rally that he would not have run the ad.

“I would not have run that ad.”