Ramaswamy's last-ditch attack shows signs of backfiring |
Ramaswamy’s last-ditch attack shows signs of backfiring
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Democrat Amy Acton‘s chances of flipping the Ohio governor’s race seem to have received a boost as backlash to Republican Vivek Ramaswamy‘s controversial ad featuring her estranged mother keeps growing.
Ramaswamy has doubled down in defending the ad, which depicts Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a “liar” and saying she needs “help” as part of a message urging Ohioans to vote against her.
Acton’s campaign and Ramaswamy critics have noted that Acton hasn’t been in touch with her mother since she was 12 years old, after her stepfather was arrested and charged with raping Acton. Arthur remained married to the stepfather, and Acton was removed from her mother’s care.
Election forecaster Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifted its rating of the race Thursday from “Toss-up” to “Leans Democratic.”
In its analysis explaining the move, the forecaster pointed to a comment from veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who called it a “Hail Mary” from Ramaswamy. Luntz said sometimes these types of moves work.
“However, this seems like an awfully risky and desperate move for Ramaswamy, who has already thrown the kitchen sink at Acton yet appears to be behind,” Sabato’s Crystal Ball said in its analysis.
The controversy has fueled widespread backlash from Democrats and divided Republicans, with some denouncing the ad and others calling on him to continue.
President Trump weighed in on the ad Thursday, urging Ramaswamy to “keep it up” in a post on Truth Social.
“Frankly, anybody whose mother spoke about a daughter in that way would normally lead to the daughter being precluded from serving in Office, let alone the Office of Governor,” he wrote.
That echoes similar comments on Wednesday from Vice President Vance, who said he was “disgusted” by Republicans who have broken with Ramaswamy to call for the ad to be scrapped.
Several notable Republicans have said the ad crossed the line.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) called the spot “deeply troubling” and said the campaign should take it down. He noted, however, he wouldn’t withdraw his endorsement of Ramaswamy over it.
Sen. Jon Husted (R), who is in the midst of a competitive Senate race against former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), said he wouldn’t have run the ad.
Ramaswamy’s campaign hasn’t shown any signs of folding. The campaign confirmed to The Hill that it’s putting $4 million behind the ad to run online and on TV.
But there’s cause for concern for Ramaswamy beyond the criticism from his own party.
Fundraising has surged for Acton in the days since the ad was released, moving her into second place on the Democratic political donation site ActBlue’s list of top fundraisers.
The Decision Desk HQ polling average shows Acton leading Ramaswamy by about 3.5 points, generally inside the margin of error for most polls. She has opened up a bit more of a lead over the past month.
Still, Sabato’s Crystal Ball acknowledged the hurdles still facing Democrats in a state like Ohio, which has increasingly shifted rightward during the Trump era. Polling has underestimated Republicans in Ohio in the recent past, it noted, though that isn’t to say that’s happening again this year.
Robert Alexander, a professor of political science at Bowling Green State University, told The Hill that he believes this incident will likely make Acton more likeable and makes her story more compelling.
“It’s probably going to draw some people to learn some things about her and what she’s been able to overcome that they hadn’t seen previously,” he said.
Former Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) said in a post on the social platform X that Ramaswamy needs to pivot quickly. He said voters don’t necessarily elect the most qualified candidate but the one they like, trust or sympathize with the most.
“You can have the strongest résumé, the best policies, and the most impressive background, but none of that guarantees victory if voters don’t like what they see or hear,” he said. “And when voters believe someone has been treated unfairly, sympathy can become a powerful political........