Amy Acton beats Vivek Ramaswamy by 8 points in Ohio gubernatorial race. Then she announces she has no intention of ever speaking to him
‘Beyond the pale.’
Ohio Governor-elect Amy Acton has made her stance clear following her recent victory. The Hill reports that she does not plan to speak with her former opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, after a series of events during the final weeks of the campaign. Acton defeated Ramaswamy by a margin of nearly 8 points in the gubernatorial race. She will now become the first woman to serve as governor of Ohio.
This result marks a significant shift in the state. Democrats also saw success in other races, including the Senate contest where Sherrod Brown defeated Jon Husted. The primary reason for the silence from the governor-elect involves a controversial attack ad released by the Ramaswamy campaign. The ad featured Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur. In the video, Arthur spoke directly to the camera and called her daughter a liar. She encouraged Ohio voters to reject Acton at the polls.
Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, later issued a statement regarding the family history. He noted that their mother lost custody of her children after her husband, Cledith Arthur, faced charges for sexually abusing Acton. Stearns stated that their mother remained with the abuser until his death.
Acton did not take a concession phone call from Ramaswamy
Acton addressed the situation during an interview on CBS Mornings. She explained that she did not take a concession phone call from Ramaswamy because she did not want to normalize his behavior. She described the ad as ‘beyond the pale’ and said she has no intention of speaking to him.
Acton then explained that leaders’ words matter and that it is important to hold folks accountable. Acton characterized the use of the advertisement as terrible and despicable. She noted that she would like to say she did not expect this, but there was no low her opponent would not sink to. She claimed the campaign ads were full of lies and hate and vitriol.
Ramaswamy spoke about his concession during his speech. He mentioned that he had called Acton to concede but that the call went to voicemail. He said that he left her a message. During his remarks, he described the campaign as a tough race that was bitter at times in both directions. He stated that he had hope and confidence that she would do what is required to bring Ohio together.
The advertisement drew significant criticism from members of both parties
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, told reporters that he believed the decision to run the ad was wrong. He suggested that it should have been taken down. According to Newsweek, political commentator Meghan McCain also called the ad ‘dastardly’ on social media.
However, other high-profile Republicans stood by the tactic. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance defended the ad. Trump told reporters that it is easy to understand why a mother speaking badly about a candidate would be a major story. Vance went as far as to say he was disgusted by Republicans who criticized the ad.
Acton believes the tactic was a sign of desperation. She told CBS News that she thinks Ramaswamy ran the ad because they were struggling in their campaign. She pointed to polling that had come out, suggesting they were six to seven points behind at the time. Acton emphasized that people are tired of the hate and chaos and vitriol. She stated that kindness is not weakness and that people are ready for public service, unity, and decency.
Acton’s victory is notable given that Ohio backed Trump by double-digits in the 2024 election. The state has drifted toward Republicans in recent years, but this cycle saw a different outcome.
Democrats flipped three Republican-controlled Congressional seats as well
Brian Poindexter defeated Max Miller in the 7th District. Kristina Knickerbocker defeated Mike Turner in the 10th District. Don Leonard defeated Mike Carey in the 15th District. Allison Russo won the secretary of state race.
Acton has a background in state government, having led the Ohio Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. She previously directed a childhood vaccination initiative in the state. She served under Governor DeWine before resigning in June 2020.
During the campaign, she ran toward the center on several issues. She voiced support for a ballot measure regarding photo ID requirements and stated she does not support boys playing in girls sports. These positions drew some criticism from progressives.
Despite never holding elected office before, Acton views her win as just the beginning. She shared her thoughts in a post to X saying that now they get to work building an Ohio where every family has the chance to do more than just get by. She added that it starts with lowering costs and creating opportunity.
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