Ohio Governor-elect Amy Acton announced on Friday that she has no intention of communicating with her former Republican rival, Vivek Ramaswamy. This decision follows a heated gubernatorial campaign during which Ramaswamy aired an attack ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who labeled her daughter a liar.
In her first television interview since the election on CBS Mornings, Acton was questioned about whether she had engaged with Ramaswamy following her victory on Tuesday. Although Ramaswamy claimed during his concession speech to have left a congratulatory message for her, Acton remained firm. She stated that leaders must be held accountable for their words, characterizing the campaign as marked by hate, chaos, and vitriol. But there was no low my opponent wouldn’t sink to,” Acton said. “These ads have been full of lies and hate and vitriol the entire campaign, i would like to say I didn’t expect this. This story published first on at 9:31 a.m. on Nov.
The controversy intensified in the final days of the race when the Ramaswamy campaign released the advertisement featuring Arthur. Acton noted that she had not seen her mother since she was 12 years old. Records indicate that Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s custody after their stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was arrested for sexually abusing Acton. Her brother has stated that their mother remained married to him until his death in 2004. Acton and her brother had been removed from their mother’s care after their stepfather, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with raping Acton when she was between 10 and 12 years old.
Acton addressed the incident directly, calling the ad a terrible and despicable move, which she speculated was a result of the Ramaswamy campaign struggling to gain traction. She observed that her birth mother was not well and expressed that she had expected little else from an opponent she accused of sinking to extreme lows throughout the election cycle.
The ad drew widespread condemnation from both sides of the aisle, including opposition from Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted. However, President Trump publicly defended the commercial, describing it as a powerful message and confirming he encouraged Ramaswamy to keep it in the rotation.
Looking toward her upcoming term, the governor-elect emphasized that Ohio voters are focused on problem-solving. Describing herself as a scrappy individual from Youngstown, Acton asserted that she is prepared to fight while maintaining that kindness is not a sign of weakness. She promised a focus on public service, unity, and decency.
Her policy agenda includes plans to bring high-paying union jobs to the state while prioritizing the protection of air and water resources. Acton also addressed data center development, supporting a conditional moratorium on such facilities. She concluded by stating that while Ohio is open for business, the state is not for sale or exploitation.
The election results also saw other notable developments in the region, including Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur winning her rematch, Aaron Ford defeating his GOP opponent in the Nevada gubernatorial race, and Jon Ossoff retaining his Senate seat in Georgia.
