Political attacks have reached a new low in Ohio’s gubernatorial race. Democratic candidate Amy Acton is facing deeply personal accusations after her estranged mother appeared in an advertisement calling her a “liar” and supporting Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy. This is the kind of family trauma weaponized for campaign purposes that we need to discuss openly.
The controversial ad features Donna Arthur, whose late husband was accused of sexually abusing Acton during her childhood. In the ad, Arthur says, “It’s not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy was a serious problem. She is a liar; she lies about her past.” For many observers, this moment felt less like legitimate political critique and more like political attacks exploiting trauma.
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. He 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, highlighting the painful complexity of family loyalty versus protection.
Court records provided by Acton’s campaign show that Cledith Arthur was charged with raping Acton in 1978. He pleaded not guilty. Ramaswamy acknowledged that his campaign produced the advertisement and defended its message—a choice that sparked serious backlash from voters seeking substantive debate rather than personal destruction.
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, suggesting the wounds remain unhealed.
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.” She continued: “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.”
This race has become a reminder of how campaigns can exploit personal pain for political advantage. Voters deserve better than family trauma used as a campaign weapon.
★m★
