Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed on Tuesday that it produced a video featuring Amy Acton's birth mother, Donna Arthur, and plans to spend $4 million to promote it across online platforms and television. The move has drawn bipartisan criticism for leveraging a deeply personal chapter in Acton's past during Ohio's high‑stakes governor race.

The one‑minute advertisement shows Arthur describing her daughter as "a liar" and hinting at mental‑health struggles. It does not carry the "paid for" disclaimer required for broadcast ads, and its origins were first traced to a post by Ohio political blogger D.J. Brynes, who said he received the clip from a voter who recorded it as part of a poll.

Connie Luck, a Ramaswamy campaign spokesperson, said Arthur was not compensated for her participation and that the video will run digitally and on TV. Acton, who served as Ohio's former public health director, responded on Tuesday, stating that the ad exploits her childhood trauma, including being removed from her mother's custody at age 12 after a stepfather was indicted for raping her. She characterized the tactic as part of a "lifelong pattern" of personal attacks by Ramaswamy.

Democrats and Republicans alike condemned the spot. Casey Putsch, a former Republican primary rival, announced he would vote for Acton, calling the video "pretty damn low." Sherrod Brown, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, labeled the ad "disgusting" and urged all candidates, including his opponent Sen. Jon Husted, to denounce it. Husted's campaign did not comment.

High‑profile supporters of Ramaswamy, such as Donald Trump Jr. and influencer Laura Loomer, amplified the video online. Conversely, figures like Meghan McCain described the ad as "dastardly," and strategist Dan Hauser removed his post after learning of the serious allegations it contained.

According to court records obtained by The Associated Press, Acton's stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was arrested in July 1978 and charged with raping his stepdaughter when she was 12. He pleaded not guilty, was indicted in September 1978, failed to appear for a hearing, and remained a fugitive until at least 1981, when he died. Acton's brother, Philip Stearns, later released a video recalling the siblings' removal from their mother's custody and criticizing Ramaswamy's campaign for exploiting their history.

The controversy underscores the intensifying battle in Ohio's gubernatorial contest as more than 676,000 voters have already cast ballots, with the election approaching in two weeks.