# Ramaswamy's attack ad featuring Acton's mother crosses line

> Two weeks before Ohio's gubernatorial election, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces backlash for an ad using his opponent's estranged mother to attack her over childhood homelessness claims.
- Title: Ramaswamy's attack ad featuring Acton's mother crosses line
- Summary: Two weeks before Ohio's gubernatorial election, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces backlash for an ad using his opponent's estranged mother to attack her over…
- Keywords: breaking, vivek ramaswamy, amy acton, ohio governor race, 2026 election, attack ad, campaign controversy, Ramaswamy's, attack, featuring, Acton's, mother
- Source: Fastcompany — https://fastcompany.com/91627588/vivek-ramaswamy-amy-acton-ohio-governor-race-midterm-election-attack-ad-with-mother-goes-too-far
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: breaking, vivek ramaswamy, amy acton, ohio governor race, 2026 election, attack ad, campaign controversy
## Ramaswamy ad targets Acton's mother
Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy released an attack ad featuring Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton, just two weeks before Ohio's November third gubernatorial election.
## Arthur alleges Acton lied about homelessness
In the ad, Arthur says Amy has a serious problem and is a liar, alleging that Acton lied about being homeless as a child and warning voters not to let her become governor.

> It's not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar.
## Acton and Arthur estranged since childhood
Acton and Arthur have not seen each other since Acton was twelve years old, when they went to court in nineteen seventy-eight as Arthur's husband, Acton's stepfather, was charged with sexually abusing Acton.
## Arthur did not address abuse charges
The ad makes no mention of the sexual abuse charges against Acton's stepfather or the circumstances that led to the family's estrangement decades ago.
## Immediate backlash from public and figures
The ad drew swift backlash from civilians and public figures, with most condemning Ramaswamy's campaign for crossing an ethical line in the race.
## Critics call it potentially campaign-ending
Many observers described the ad as a bridge too far and potentially the final nail in the coffin for Ramaswamy's campaign for Ohio governor.
## Acton's brother defends her publicly
Phillip Stearns, Acton's brother, released a statement defending her and criticizing Ramaswamy for stooping to exploit the sexual abuse Amy endured as a political talking point.

> stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at 12 years old from our birth mother's husband into a political talking point.
## Campaign representatives respond
Representatives for both the Ramaswamy and Acton campaigns have responded to the growing controversy surrounding the attack ad and its use of family trauma.
## Key takeaway

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's attack ad featuring Democratic candidate Amy Acton's estranged mother, who alleges Acton lied about childhood homelessness, has drawn widespread criticism for exploiting family trauma ahead of Ohio's November third gubernatorial election.