Ohio Governor-elect Amy Acton said she has “no intention” of speaking with Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy after his victory in the gubernatorial race Tuesday, telling CBS News that an ad he ran featuring his estranged mother in the final weeks of the campaign was “despicable.”
Acton became the first Democrat to win an Ohio gubernatorial race since 2006 as a blue tsunami swept the country during this week’s midterm elections, allowing the party to win in states that have drifted Republican and backed President Donald Trump by double digits in the 2024 election.
Ramaswamy faced bipartisan criticism over the ad, which ultimately failed to sway voters in his favor. With 98 percent of the votes counted, Acton was on track to defeat Ramaswamy by nearly 8 points, in a state where Trump carried by 11 points just two years earlier.
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In his concession speech, Ramaswamy said he called Acton to concede but the call went to voicemail, adding that he “left him a message.”
During an interview on CBS MorningsActon said Friday that she had not spoken with Ramaswamy.
“I think we can’t normalize behavior like this. It was so unacceptable, so no, I don’t plan to talk to him,” she said. “I believe that the words of leaders matter and that we need to hold people accountable.”
The governor-elect called the ad “terrible and despicable.”
“I think he did it because they were struggling in their campaign. Polls came out. They were six to seven points behind,” Acton said.
She said she meant the publicity was unexpected but that there was “no low” to which Ramaswamy would not “sink”.
News week has contacted the Acton and Ramaswamy teams for comment via email.
Vivek Ramaswamy released a controversial ad featuring Amy Acton’s mother
Ramaswamy’s ad featured Acton’s ex-mother, Donna Arthur, speaking directly to her daughter’s camera, urging Ohio voters not to elect Acton.
“I love my daughter, but when I saw her lying about her opponent – and it’s not easy for a mother to say that – Amy has a serious problem,” Arthur says in the video. “She’s a liar. She lies about her past.”
Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, wrote in a statement released by the Acton campaign that their mother lost custody of her children after her husband, Cledith Arthur, was arrested and accused of sexually abusing Acton. Stearns said the two were together until his death.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, told reporters he believed the Ramaswamy campaign running the ad was “fake” and that it should have been removed. Political commentator Meghan McCain called the ad “vile” on social media.
Other Republicans like Trump and Vice President JD Vance, however, have repeatedly defended the ad.
“It’s a mother talking trash against Amy Acton, and for me, that’s very easy,” Trump told reporters. “If it was my mother talking bad about me, you would make it front page news.”
What did Vivek Ramaswamy say in his concession speech?
Ramaswamy described the campaign as a “tough race” that was “at times bitter on both sides.”
“I wish him well in leading this state to greater heights in the future,” he said.
What happened in the Ohio gubernatorial election?
Acton’s support stood at 52.3 percent, compared to Ramaswamy’s 44.4 percent.
Acton isn’t the only Democrat to win in Ohio. In the Senate race, former Sen. Sherrod Brown also defeated Republican Sen. Jon Husted.
Democrats also flipped three Republican-controlled congressional seats. Democrat Brian Poindexter defeated Republican Rep. Max Miller in Ohio’s 7th District. Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker defeated Republican Rep. Mike Turner in Ohio’s 10th District, while Democrat Don Leonard defeated Republican Rep. Mike Carey in Ohio’s 15th District.
Democrat Allison Russo won the race for secretary of state, while Democrat John Kulewicz leads Republican Keith Faber by less than a percentage point in the attorney general race, which has yet to be called by The Associated Press.
Who is Amy Acton, the next governor of Ohio?
Acton led the Ohio Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic and previously led a childhood vaccination initiative in the state. She served in state government under DeWine, a Republican, who resigned from the post in June 2020.
She visited the center during the campaign, expressing support for a ballot measure that would add a photo ID requirement to the Ohio state constitution, and saying she “does not support boys playing girls’ sports” in remarks to The Blade of Toledosparking criticism from some progressives.
She has never held elected office before.
Acton described his victory as “just the beginning” in a message to X on Wednesday.
“Now we get to work building an Ohio where every family has the chance to do more than just get by – they can get ahead. That starts with lowering costs, creating opportunity, and ensuring every Ohioan has the chance to build a great life. A new day for Ohio begins now,” she wrote.
Contact News week editors for this story: Gabe Whisnant and Anthony Murray.
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