President Trump advised Republican gubernatorial candidates to continue running controversial ads.
Published October 23, 2026
US President Donald Trump has endorsed Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, amid controversy over the Ohio gubernatorial candidate’s attack ads against his Democratic rival.
Trump said in a social media post Thursday that Ramaswamy should continue running ads featuring Democratic candidate Amy Acton’s estranged mother.
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In the ad, Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, challenges Ohioans’ accounts of her daughter’s childhood, including homelessness and sexual abuse by her stepfather, and implores Ohioans not to vote for Acton.
Acton said he hasn’t seen his mother since 1978. Acton’s brother supported her testimony that she was sexually abused by her stepfather as a child. Her stepfather, who died in 2004, was charged with rape.
“Anyone who makes that kind of statement about a mother about her daughter would normally have her daughter removed from office,” Trump said.
The president also attacked Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who recommended Ramaswamy remove the ad, by labeling him “disloyal” to the Republican Party.
“That’s wrong.”
At a rally with reporters at the Ohio Statehouse, Mr. DeWine recalled the harrowing experiences of rape victims he has dealt with as county prosecutor and state attorney general.
“It’s wrong to run this ad,” he said. “And now that my wife Fran saw this ad on TV this morning, I would like to urge the Ramaswamy camp to withdraw it.”
Mr Acton’s brother Philip Stearns called the ad a “desperate and disgusting attack”, and Acton campaign spokesperson Adi Block said Mr Ramaswamy’s decision to promote the ad was “despicable and completely predictable”.
Vice President J.D. Vance, who was campaigning with Mr. Ramaswamy and Sen. Jon Husted, Republican of Ohio, on Wednesday, dismissed the blowback.
Vance, a former senator from Ohio, expressed disgust at Republicans “whining” about the ad, calling it sleazy and in bad taste.
Ramaswamy’s campaign said it had spent $4 million on advertising.
Polls show Mr. Acton has a narrow lead over Mr. Ramaswamy in the close race to replace Mr. DeWine, who is term-limited.
