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Vance Tells Republicans to Stop Complaining About Ramaswamy's Ad

Updated 6:11 PM ET · 5:22 PM ETConfirmed

Politics Desk

In Short: Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stop criticizing an ad by Vivek Ramaswamy that featured the mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton.

Vice President JD Vance told Republicans to 'stop whining' about a controversial ad by Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign, which featured the mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton, calling her 'a liar,' insinuating she has mental health issues.

The ad, which aired on Tuesday, was criticized by both Democrats and Republicans. Senator John Husted, a Republican running for a full term in the Senate, distanced himself from the ad, telling the Associated Press, 'I would not have run that ad.'

Ramaswamy, a billionaire tech entrepreneur, defended the ad, stating, 'Every person who appears to know her the best – her former boss, her former colleagues in state government, even the doctors in this state, the Ohio State Medical Association – have told voters not to vote for her but to vote for me instead.'

Acton previously recounted being sexually abused by her mother’s husband as a child, and her brother said their 'birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died.' Acton had not seen her mother since a 1978 court case against her stepfather.

During a campaign rally in Sharonville, Ohio, on October 21, 2026, Vance said he was 'disgusted' by the Republican pushback against the ad. He told reporters, 'Politics is a tough business,' and added, 'What I do know is that Amy Acton has been repeatedly and serially dishonest during this campaign and for much of her record in public service, and I do think that record deserves to be scrutinized.'

President Donald Trump weighed in on the ad, saying he had heard about it but did not think Ramaswamy was to blame for the strained relationship between Acton and Arthur. Sherrod Brown, who attended the rally with Vance and Ramaswamy, did not address the controversy there.

Ramaswamy’s team is planning a $4 million statewide advertising push around the ad, which has drawn criticism from both parties. The ad features Donna Arthur, Acton’s birth mother, calling Acton 'a liar,' and insinuates the Democrat has mental health issues.

Vance said he was 'a little disgusted' seeing Republicans, 'people in my party, reacting so strongly, especially elected officials … have the opinion you want to have on that ad, if you think it was too tough, say it was too tough; if you think it wasn’t tough enough, say that.'

Vance defended the ad, saying, 'What is my concern is, who is going to govern the next generation of American government?' He expressed deep frustration with Republicans who came out against the ad instead of focusing on winning midterm elections.

The controversy continues to roil the state’s gubernatorial race, with Vance campaigning with Ramaswamy and Republican Sen. Jon Husted in Cincinnati.

Vance told reporters, 'I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is something I’m just complaining about.' He also said, 'She kind of disappeared for a little while,' an apparent reference to Acton's resignation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

What's confirmed

• SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, OH – Vice President JD Vance told Republicans to "stop whining" about a controversial ad by the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign featuring the mother of his Democratic opponent in the race for Ohio governor.
• “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 12 years old from our birth mother's husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said in the statement.
• Vice President JD Vance speaks during a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center on October 21, 2026 in Sharonville, Ohio.
• Ramaswamy, who ran for president in 2024, is a billionaire tech entrepreneur.
• COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vice President JD Vance said during a campaign visit to Ohio on Wednesday that he is “disgusted” by the Republican pushback against an ad by Vivek Ramaswamy that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent in the governor's race, Dr. Amy Acton, and raises questions about her traumatic childhood.
• President Donald Trump listens a gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at a campaign rally at the Covelli Centre, in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Oct.
• "Between the ages of 10 and 12, I was sexually abused by her husband, while my birth mother did nothing to protect me. I've always known that she was deeply sick and unwell, and it's sad to see Vivek Ramaswamy exploit her all for his own political gain," Acton said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
• "Politics is a tough business," Vance said to reporters.

What's still developing

• WATCH: Vance defends U.S. envoy Witkoff calling Putin a 'humanitarian' after prisoner release In Cincinnati, the vice president said it was "not really my concern" whether the controversial 60-second spot was appropriate, and said he was focused on supporting Republican candidates in their midterm races.
• The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.
• "lies about every single one of her positions."
• Vance didn’t hold back, saying he was “disgusted” with the reactions of some elected Republicans, who publicly condemned the ad with just 13 days to go until election day.
• The vice president said he didn’t see a problem with the incredibly personal line of attack.
• But a separate series of attack ads funded by Ramaswamy-linked groups have accused Acton of being an alcoholic and drug addict — citing a 2019 domestic dispute between Acton and her husband, during which her daughter called 911 and said Acton had been drinking that evening, according to the Ohio Capitol Journal.

Sources

• Aollink
• FOX 5 New Yorklink
• Marietta Daily Journallink
• NBC Newslink
• Newserlink
• PBSlink
• Springfield News-Sunlink
• The Daily Wirelink
• Traverse City Record-Eaglelink
• Washingtonsunlink
• WarpBeat — background on Welcome to JD Vance 6.0 link
• WarpBeat — background on Vice President JD Vance Welcomes Fourth Child link
• Wikipedia — background on Vice president link
• NBC News — video link