Ramaswamy pulls attack ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother

politicsOct 30, 2026231,449

Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio campaign ended the planned television run of an attack ad that featured Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, after cross-party criticism. The ad implied Acton lied about being sexually abused as a child by her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, who was arrested in 1978 on a child rape charge and was previously referenced in a 1974 incest charge; he fled prosecution, remained a fugitive, and died in 2004. The ad shows Arthur saying "Amy has a serious problem. She is a liar," which given the case history framed Acton’s abuse allegations as false. Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, publicly corroborated her account, and many Republicans objected to the ad’s targeting of a sexual-abuse allegation. Ramaswamy’s campaign had pledged to spend $4 million to promote the ad, though ad-tracking firm AdImpact reported roughly $1 million was spent; the campaign said the planned run was over and released a trimmed version. Ohio governor Mike DeWine called the ad "deeply troubling," while former president Donald Trump called it "very powerful" and J.D. Vance defended running it. The ad’s removal follows reporting that raised questions about Arthur’s fitness at the time the commercial was filmed and intensified bipartisan pressure on Ramaswamy to stop airing the spot.

Josh Marshall

@joshtpm.bsky.social

Paywalled piece. But pretty extensive reporting that Amy Acton's mother is not well in ways that would have been immediately apparent to anyone who worked with her on that ad. Disturbing/sad picture it paints and something like elder abuse producing the ad. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

43710h ago

HIOM7

Imagine fucking up so bad that you end up making Amy Acton's mom look mildly sympathetic.

leeia7

Television news is paywalling now? That seems unusual. And yeah, I'm not surprised Republicans would exploit an elderly person's physical and mental limitations. After all, they do it on a daily basis with their leader.

Dan Bongard5

She was pretty clearly "not well" fifty years ago. Shacking up with a guy who had already been indicted for incest? That suggests either serious mental problems or serious drug problems; that is not how "normal" moms think, no matter how desperate they are for financial help.

Lynne4

I recall reading (Politico? Somewhere like that) that the entire team was kinda against running this, they saw she was not well. Vivek insisted.

Scott Craig3

REPUBLICANS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE TRUTH. NEVER HAVE.

Jo T. Blankenship3

Yeah..she let kittens die locked up with windows closed in her car also.

Quoting this

Oatsie3

In this era it's really an incredible feat to be considered the biggest piece of shit currently running for office, but Vivek did it.

Bernadette Vielhaber2

Yeah, no shit. Vivek has a thing for abusing elderly people dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Ricky Davila

@therickydavila.bsky.social

MAGA lunatic Vivek Ramaswamey has pulled his disgusting attack ad against Dr. Amy Acton after he received massive backlash over it. Too little too late asshole, you have once again showed everyone what a despicable piece of shit you are.

3943h ago

The Bluesmobile5

Does Vivek Ramalamadingdong not know that he’s brown and Republikkkans hate brown people? He probably wouldn’t even vote for himself.

Wium2

And TrumpStein and JD also were on his side. Typical MAGA cultist style.

michelejean.bsky.social2

My anxiety is on supreme high alert until after the election! 👀

📎The Ghost Army of Fellas!2

Look, he's dropped $200 on Texas cosplay!😂🤣

Nullin D. Void ♿🇺🇦🇵🇸2

He said it was because it is time that he talks about his policies and that is why he pulled it. He has no *real* policies because he's all about giving tax breaks to billionaires (since he is one) and raising our utility bills to satisfy data center production. Fuck him!

Cheryl2

Excuse my spelling correction, but it’s “Ramaswampy”

The Bulwark

@thebulwark.com

@sarahmatthews1.bsky.social reacts to Vivek Ramaswamy pulling his vile attack ad against Amy Acton as disturbing new details emerge about her estranged mother.

1485h ago

gcm5.bsky.social6

Ramaswamy pulled the ad because venues refused to rent space for his rallies.

Aguaman💦1

Typical Republican hack hatchet job.

Driver91

I sincerely, with all my heart, hope Ramaswamy soon descends into a deep, deep depression and becomes a meth addict.

Jlf541

I wonder how Vivek feels about his idol, trump, literally destroying his political career if he loses to Acton on Tuesday.

Ann Mesnikoff1

And all those who supported the ad should be dragged down with him.

Belcaro1

Vivek Ramaswamy has always struck me as being a vile swarmy swamp creature. Not trustworthy. How much was Acton's estranged mother paid to be in that despictable ad?

Quoting this

Rob2

I hope this sinks viveks political career Forever!

Julian Sanchez

@normative.bsky.social

So Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad featuring Donna Arthur has been rightly condemned as despicable on many levels, but one that deserves emphasis is that Arthur is pretty clearly a mentally disturbed elderly person who has been exploited by professional political operatives. www.forbes.com/sites/sarado...

15010h ago

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

@olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social

may shame return, and soon "Ramaswamy said during a campaign appearance...that the ad’s planned run was over. His campaign originally said it would spend $4 million to air the ad, but data from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact showed it spent roughly $1 million." apnews.com/article/ohio...

1035h ago

Lisa Diedrich10

The ad has "run its course"? May shame return to journalism too.

Jeremy Pober-geist 👻3

On a related note, I think we should make "JV Dance" stick

Quoting this

The Ghost of Mike Check8

1 million dollars can feed almost 9,500 children three square meals a day for a year. Or it can put an icepick in your own gubernatorial campaign's face. Which is better for civilization?

All In with Chris Hayes

@allinwithchris.bsky.social

WATCH: A new Zeteo report says Republicans warned Vivek Ramaswamy his Amy Acton attack ad could backfire, while sources told the outlet that Acton’s estranged mother seemed mentally unwell around the time the ad was filmed.

665h ago

Jodi Jacobson

@jljacobson.bsky.social

"Better vetting" was not the problem with the Ramaswamy/GOP ad. Just not the issue at all. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

2610h ago

The Liberal BoJack

@thelibbojack.bsky.social

BLINDSIDED IN OHIO Vivek Ramaswamy was flustered at a recent gathering. He should have been prepared … A man asked him why he associated with so many pedophiles. His answer: “l have a wife”… Many pedophiles ARE married. WTF! Vote Amy Acton & Sherrod Brown

165h ago

The Desert Veteran

@jkz12769.bsky.social

The Convicted FElon in Ohio stated that he supports the mother of Amy Acton & believe that Acton lied about being raped. It's unfair that Ramaswamy is getting blowback from the ad he placed. Again, the Convicted FElon is ok with children getting raped. He is a Pedophile. youtu.be/am4lg6iJ5tc?...

136h ago

Forbes

@forbes.com

The Ohio gubernatorial candidate's campaign had previously pledged to spend $4 million promoting the ad, which drew backlash from Democrats and several Republicans.

123h ago

Liz Ahern 🌈🇲🇽🏳️‍⚧️☮️

@austinmermaid.bsky.social

Olivia Rodrigo is getting the vote out for Amy Acton at her show in Ohio!

93h ago

Melissa Good & Feral 😾🇺🇦🇨🇦

@meltart.bsky.social

Vivek finally pulled the revolting Amy Acton ad off television. Too late, motherfucker. You don't get to unsay what you paid to broadcast. The internet is forever.

1210h ago

ctrl+alt+RESIST

@ctrlaltresist.com

Olivia Rodrigo on stage in Columbus wearing an Amy Acton shirt. No speech. No fundraiser dinner. Just the shirt, in Ohio, in front of a concert crowd. That is an endorsement money cannot buy, and everyone in that governor race knows exactly what it is worth.

123h ago

JeffTrnka

@jefftrnka.bsky.social

Trump has doubled down on his support for Vivek Ramaswamy's vile smear ad against Democratic opponent Amy Acton. This should come as no surprises for a man who spent years palling around with Jeffrey Epstein. Jesse Dollemore breaks it down. youtu.be/am4lg6iJ5tc?...

610h ago

Sandy

@sanwil.bsky.social

Clediths' biological daughter has spoken out verifying all of what Amy Acton has said & is appalled abt the terrible ad by Viv-ICK

97h ago

3 sources

yahoo.comRamaswamy's Attack on Amy Acton Was Bad Enough. Trump and Vance Made It Worse.qncnews.comOhio Governor Advert Featuring Acton Estranged Mother Goes Off Air After Planned Run Ends dailymail.comVivek Ramaswamy's attack on Amy Acton misfires with new witness' claim

Ramaswamy pulls attack ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged motherpolitics

Ramaswamy pulls attack ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother

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