Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urges Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign to pull an ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother

As of 8:11 a.m. ET, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, on Thursday, Oct. 22, called on the campaign of Republican governor nominee Vivek Ramaswamy to take down an ad featuring the estranged mother of Democratic nominee Dr. Amy Acton, the Associated Press reported.

Speaking to reporters at the Statehouse in Columbus, DeWine called the ad "deeply, deeply troubling," according to the AP. "It's wrong to run this ad," he said. "I would urge Ramaswamy's campaign to take this down."

DeWine, who is term-limited, has endorsed Ramaswamy to succeed him, the AP reported. Acton served in DeWine's Cabinet.

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Ramaswamy should keep running the ad, posting on social media that it was "hitting pay dirt," and he criticized DeWine, the AP reported.

Ramaswamy has taken responsibility for the 60-second video and is spending $4 million to broadcast it online and on TV, according to the AP. His campaign manager, Jonathan Ewing, has called it "a campaign-ending moment for Amy Acton," the AP reported.

Other Ohio Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Jon Husted and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, have said they would not have run the ad, the AP reported.