Overview
- Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed Thursday that the one‑minute spot was taken down and replaced with other advertisements as the race entered its final days.
- The ad showed Donna Arthur, Amy Acton’s estranged mother, saying Acton was a ‘‘liar,’’ even though Mahoning County records document Acton’s reported childhood sexual abuse and a subsequent loss of custody by her mother.
- Senior Ohio Republicans publicly rebuked the spot while President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance defended it, producing a sharp split inside the state GOP and prompting protests and event cancellations.
- Multiple surveys and internal Republican polling reported after the ad aired showed Ramaswamy’s support slipping and Acton’s lead widening, and ad‑tracking data indicate the campaign spent about $1 million on the commercial rather than an earlier $4 million figure.
- With early voting already under way, the ad’s removal may not reverse all damage, but the episode has energized Acton’s supporters, raised vetting questions about campaign testimonials and created a potential down‑ballot risk for other Ohio Republicans.