Ramaswamy to Spend $4 Million Defending Ohio Ad

Vivek Ramaswamy will spend $4 million to promote a television commercial that has drawn fire from within his own party. The ad features Amy Acton’s mother calling the Democratic governor candidate a liar. Ramaswamy has refused to apologize for the spot, which began airing in Ohio last week.

President Donald Trump defended the campaign strategy on Wednesday. He argued that Acton’s mother made harsh statements about her daughter during the production. Trump asked why the mother’s comments were Ramaswamy’s problem. He told reporters the media would win Pulitzer Prizes if his own mother had spoken negatively about him.

New internal polling data suggests the strategy is hurting Ramaswamy. Private polls showed his lead over Acton dropping by six points since the ad started running. A memo attached to the data described the situation as having a major effect on the race. Axios reported on Wednesday that Republicans are worried the ad did not land well with voters.

Several Ohio Republican leaders have criticized the commercial. Governor Mike DeWine called the ad deeply troubling. He pushed for the spot to be taken down. Senator Jon Husted also condemned the use of the clip. Vice President JD Vance defended the ad last week. He said he was a little bit disgusted by Republicans who criticized it.

The commercial depicts Acton’s mother saying her daughter has a serious problem. Acton stated her mother remained married to her stepfather after he was indicted. The stepfather was charged with allegedly raping Acton when she was a teenager. Acton and her brother later moved in with their biological father.