In a political season already marked by unprecedented vitriol, Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy has managed to sink to a new low. His latest television advertisement features Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton, telling viewers, "Don't let her become your governor. ... She is a liar."
The ad has drawn swift and widespread condemnation, not only from Democrats but also from prominent Republicans, who see it as a shameless exploitation of a family tragedy. Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) called on Ramaswamy to pull the spot, while Senator John Husted (R-OH) and Secretary of State Frank LaRose also publicly criticized it.
The backstory makes the attack particularly vicious. Court records show that Arthur lost custody of Acton and her brother after her husband, Cledith Arthur, was indicted for raping Acton when she was 12 years old. Acton was placed in foster care and has had no contact with her mother for nearly five decades. Donna Arthur remained with her husband, helped him flee authorities, and stayed with him until his death in 2004.
Ramaswamy's decision to put a woman who sided with her daughter's rapist on the airwaves has been met with revulsion even within his own party. But not everyone is appalled. Vice President JD Vance, who has written about his Catholic faith, told Republicans to "stop whining" and instead thank Ramaswamy for having "the audacity to run a TV commercial which calls it out like it is."
Former President Donald Trump went further, praising the ad as "hitting pay dirt" and expressing jealousy that he never had such an effective attack. At a rally in Iowa, Trump said, "I only wish I could have had an ad like that against somebody."
The ad has ignited a firestorm in the Ohio governor's race, with Trump's endorsement of the ad deepening the GOP civil war. Some Republicans worry the tactic could backfire, boosting Acton's image as a survivor and rallying sympathy for her campaign.
Acton's campaign has not shied away from the ad's implications. Her team has pointed out that Ramaswamy is attacking a woman who overcame childhood sexual abuse and went on to become a physician and public health leader. The Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial board endorsed Acton, slamming Ramaswamy's ad as despicable.
Political observers are drawing parallels to the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings, when attorney Joseph Welch famously asked Senator Joseph McCarthy, "Have you no sense of decency, sir?" That question helped end McCarthy's career. Today, many are asking the same of Ramaswamy, Vance, and Trump.
Bill Press, a veteran political commentator, noted that politics used to have some semblance of civility. "You could disagree with your opponent strongly, but you never lied, never engaged in personal insults, and never attacked members of an opponent's family," he wrote. Those norms, he argues, have been shattered by Trump and now Ramaswamy.
As the ad continues to air, it remains to be seen whether Ohio voters will punish Ramaswamy for his tactics or reward him for his aggression. But for now, the backlash is a reminder that even in an era of hardball politics, some lines still should not be crossed.
