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Amy Acton’s Estranged Mother Accuses Her of Lying in Ohio Ad

The video spread online as the race tightens, and Acton’s campaign says it exploits her childhood abuse and homelessness.

  • On Monday, an online attack ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, began circulating. The video shows Arthur urging voters to reject the Democratic gubernatorial candidate and disputing Acton's account of experiencing childhood homelessness.
  • Acton has been estranged from her mother since 1978, when Arthur remained married to a stepfather indicted for sexually abusing Acton. On Tuesday, brother Philip Stearns corroborated the abuse account while condemning the ad.
  • Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy defended the ad on Tuesday, while campaign spokesperson Connie Luck labeled Acton a "serial fabulist." The campaign has not confirmed involvement in the video's production or financing.
  • Ohio Democratic Representative Greg Landsman denounced the ad as "one of the most despicable things" in politics. Acton told Spectrum News on Tuesday she refuses to "normalize" such rhetoric from Ramaswamy.
  • The incident reflects a trend of negative campaigning in competitive Ohio elections this year, where personal character attacks increasingly overshadow policy debates. The race remains volatile as the November 3 election approaches.
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Sydney Morning HeraldSydney Morning Herald
+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
Lean Left

Attack ad in Ohio governor's race described as 'despicable low'

An attack ad featuring Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton's mother has been described as a 'despicable low'.

·North Sydney, Australia
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The Columbus Dispatch broke the news in Columbus, United States on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
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