# Amy Acton wins Ohio governor race after Ramaswamy's attack ad marred bitter campaign

> Democrat Amy Acton defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor race after controversial ad featuring her estranged mother.
- Title: Amy Acton wins Ohio governor race after Ramaswamy's attack ad…
- Summary: Democrat Amy Acton defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor race after controversial ad featuring her estranged mother. Amy Acton becomes Ohio's first female…
- Keywords: breaking, amy acton, vivek ramaswamy, ohio governor, democrat, republican, attack ad, estranged mother, governor race, BBC News
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmx2dlz8574jo
- Published: 2026-11-04T05:11:52.996+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: breaking, amy acton, vivek ramaswamy, ohio governor, democrat, republican, attack ad, estranged mother, governor race, news, world
## Ohio governor race
Democrat Amy Acton defeats Republican billionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in a bitterly contested race.
## Acton becomes first woman governor
Acton becomes the first woman to win the Ohio governor's race and the first Democrat in two decades.
## Ramaswamy's attack ad
Ramaswamy's campaign released a deeply personal attack ad featuring Acton's estranged mother who claimed she lied her entire life.
## Ad controversy
The ad was criticised by former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Ohio's current Republican Governor Mike DeWine called it deeply troubling.
## Trump and Vance support
President Donald Trump described the ad as powerful and encouraged Ramaswamy to keep it running, while Vice-President JD Vance said he was disgusted by criticism from his own party.
## Ramaswamy's campaign spending
Ramaswamy said his campaign would spend $4m to air the ad across the state.
## Columbus Dispatch endorsement
The Columbus Dispatch editorial board endorsed Acton, describing the ad as revolting and unsettling.
## Key takeaway

Amy Acton becomes Ohio's first female governor after winning a bitter race against Vivek Ramaswamy, whose attack ad on her mother sparked criticism.