# Ugly Ohio Governor Ad Features Acton's Estranged Mother

> Ohio's governor race gets a nasty ad showing Amy Acton's estranged mother accusing her of lying about her past.
- Title: Ugly Ohio Governor Ad Features Acton's Estranged Mother
- Summary: Ohio's governor race gets a nasty ad showing Amy Acton's estranged mother accusing her of lying about her past. Amy Acton's campaign faces backlash after a…
- Keywords: amy acton, vivek ramaswamy, ohio governor, campaign ad, estranged mother, stepfather abuse, political ad, Ugly, Ohio, Governor, Features, Acton's
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/10/amy-acton-vivek-ramaswamy-mother-campaign-ad-ohio-governor.html?via=rss
- Author: Ian Prasad Philbrick
- Published: 2026-10-20T20:54:00.265+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: amy acton, vivek ramaswamy, ohio governor, campaign ad, estranged mother, stepfather abuse, political ad
## Ohio Governor Race
Ohio's governor race shows Republican Vivek Ramaswamy trailing Democratic Amy Acton in polls.
## Ad Features Acton's Mother
A campaign ad shows Amy Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her of lying about her opponent.
## Mother's Accusations
Donna Arthur claims Acton lied about her stepfather and has 'lied her entire life' including her background.

> lied her entire life
## Acton's Background
Acton became estranged from her mother after accusing her stepfather of sexually abusing her between ages 9 and 12.
## Acton's Response
Acton's brother Philip Stearns confirmed her abuse account and accused Ramaswamy of creating the ad.
## Ramaswamy's Background
Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati-born former biopharmaceutical CEO, ran for president in 2024 as a Trump-like candidate.
## Ramaswamy's Past Remarks
Ramaswamy previously criticized Acton's background, calling her a governor with 'no positive vision for our state'.

> no positive vision for our state
## Campaign Involvement Unclear
Ramaswamy's campaign neither confirmed nor denied creating the ad, calling Acton a 'serial fabulist'.

> serial fabulist
## Court Records Confirm
Court records confirm Acton accused her stepfather of rape and that Arthur supported her husband in court.
## Key takeaway

Amy Acton's campaign faces backlash after a conservative ad featuring her estranged mother accused her of lying about her stepfather's abuse.