Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton is facing a deeply personal political attack after her estranged mother appeared in an advertisement calling her a “liar” and supporting Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy.
The controversial ad features Donna Arthur, whose late husband was accused of sexually abusing Acton for years during her childhood.
“It’s not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy was a serious problem,” Arthur says. “She is a liar; she lies about her past.”
Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, fiercely defended his sister, accusing Ramaswamy of exploiting her childhood trauma for political gain.
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low,” Stearns said, criticizing the use of allegations involving their former stepfather.
Stearns explained that he and Acton were removed from their mother’s custody after their stepfather was arrested and charged.
“Our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died,” he said.
Court records provided by Acton’s campaign show that Cledith Arthur was charged with raping Acton in 1978. He pleaded not guilty. Ramaswamy acknowledged Tuesday that his campaign produced the advertisement and defended its message.
Acton previously described the painful final encounter with her mother during a 2019 interview with the Youngstown Vindicator.
“I went to give her a kiss, and she just turned her cheek away,” Acton recalled. Her campaign says she has not seen her mother since.
Prediction: Vivek’s idiotic ad will help Democrats win the Senate in Ohio. https://t.co/F5dJBk5Vi9
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) October 21, 2026
Ramaswamy’s spokesperson, Connie Luck, responded to the backlash by doubling down.
“We don’t know what happened between Amy and her mother, who first spoke out about Amy in 2020, but we know that Amy Acton is a serial fabulist who has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of before deciding who to entrust as governor,” Luck said in a statement.
Luck went on to accuse Acton of “lying about Vivek and his family, lying about her own record, and then hiding from debates,” which further shocked supporters.
“If Amy disagrees with these criticisms, she should stand before the people of Ohio, answer the questions, and let voters decide for themselves. The fact that she won’t, and Vivek will, should tell you everything about who’s really lying.”