Vivek Ramaswamy Confronted Over Amy Acton Mother Ad As Backlash Grows

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was interrupted by a protester during a campaign stop on Tuesday over a campaign advert featuring his Democratic opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother.

The heckler was seen shouting at Ramaswamy before being escorted out by police from the event at CrossPointe Church in Westerville, Ohio, according to video shared by the local station WSYX.

In the advert, Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, accused her of lying and urged Ohio voters not to elect her in November.

"I love my daughter, but when I saw her lying about her opponent—and it's not easy for a mother to say this—but Amy has a serious problem," she said. "She is a liar. She lies about her past. She says she grew up living in a tent. None of that is true. She's lied her entire life.

"My daughter needs help, and she can't help you if she needs help herself. People can change, but first they have to tell the truth, and my daughter still isn't doing that. Don't vote for people who lie. Don't let her become your governor. If you think she'll make your life better, you're fooling yourself. It will only get worse."

Ramaswamy told the WSYX. "It is an ad from our campaign. I would love for this race and this election to be about the substantive issues that impact Ohioans. Unfortunately, Amy Acton has been hiding from those issues. She won't debate me. She doesn't allow cameras at her events. And I think her record of continuously — certainly during this campaign — I would say spreading some defamatory, disparaging lies about me and my family that does deserve to be scrutinized, and this is part of a broader pattern."

The advert has drawn wide criticism, including from Meghan McCain, the political commentator, who wrote on X: "this is a dastardly ad. It never should have been created. Shame on whatever consultant firm created this."

Sherrod Brown, the Democratic candidate in the Ohio Senate race, said: "the ad released by Vivek Ramaswamy is disgusting. Everyone, including Jon Husted, should be willing to condemn this ad."

This is a developing story. More to follow.