Viral video jolts Ohio governor’s race
Sandego.net – The Ohio governor s race roiled by a viral video featuring Democratic nominee Amy Acton’s estranged mother has taken an intensely personal turn. The minute-long clip urges voters not to support Acton, who is running against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, and was amplified on social media by Donald Trump Jr.
The video features Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, and raises allegations about her daughter’s character. It emerged as the statewide contest has already been shaped by negative advertising and sharp political attacks.
Questions remain about the video’s origin
Ohio political blogger D.J. Byrnes, known as “The Rooster,” first shared the video Monday night. Byrnes said he received it from a voter who encountered the material during a poll and recorded it.
The Ohio governor s race roiled further because the video did not contain customary language identifying who paid for or authorized it. It also was not listed Tuesday morning as a paid placement in the race on AdImpact, a political advertising tracking service.
Ramaswamy’s campaign did not say whether it had produced or placed the spot. Its response Tuesday afternoon did not directly address responsibility for the video.
Acton’s family describes childhood trauma
Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, condemned the video in a statement released by her campaign. He accused Ramaswamy of exploiting abuse that he said Acton endured when she was 12 years old.
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said.
Stearns said he and Acton were removed from the couple’s custody after the man was arrested, while Arthur remained married to him until his death.
“After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died,” Stearns said.
Acton has said she has not seen her mother since she was about 12 years old. She has previously spoken publicly about her childhood and described the man her mother married as abusive.
In a 2019 interview with the Youngstown Vindicator, Acton said her family had been living in a tent at a campground outside Youngstown when the abuse occurred. She said the man faced criminal charges.
“I was lucky that it got bad enough, because it got me out of there,” Acton said at the time.
Acton said her last encounter with her mother was at a courthouse, where Arthur attempted to kiss her and Acton refused.
Campaigns offer opposing responses
Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy, said voters should consider comments from people who know Acton personally. Luck repeated campaign criticism of Acton’s truthfulness.
“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.
Luck said people close to Acton, including her mother, were warning Ohioans against supporting her candidacy.
Acton told WOSU Public Media that seeing her mother in the video was painful. She also accused Ramaswamy of taking advantage of an older person whom she described as clearly unwell.
“It’s awful to see her this way, and it’s even more incredible to see that my opponent has taken advantage of someone who’s clearly not well, who is older,” Acton said.
Attempts were made to contact Arthur.
Why the Ohio governor’s race matters
The Ohio governor s race roiled by the family dispute will determine who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Acton, a former Ohio public health director, and Ramaswamy are competing in a closely watched statewide contest with national political significance.
The viral video adds another layer of controversy to a campaign in which negative messaging has become increasingly prominent. Its source, funding and authorization remained unclear as the candidates’ campaigns exchanged accusations.
FAQ: Ohio governor’s race and the Amy Acton video
Who is running for Ohio governor?
Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy are competing to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine, who is term-limited.
Who appears in the viral video?
The video features Donna Arthur, Amy Acton’s estranged mother, making allegations about Acton and urging voters not to support her.
Has the video’s sponsor been identified?
No. The video did not include language identifying who paid for or authorized it, and it was not listed as a paid placement in AdImpact’s tracking of the race Tuesday morning.
What has Amy Acton said about the video?
Acton said it was painful to see her mother in the video and criticized Ramaswamy for what she described as exploiting an older person who was clearly unwell.
