“This crossed a line”: Major newspaper had banned high-office endorsements. Now it just broke a 184-year old policy
A campaign advertisement targeting Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has drawn criticism from members of both political parties. The advertisement features her estranged mother and has led to disagreements among Republicans ahead of the November election.
According to HuffPost, The Cleveland Plain Dealer endorsed Acton over Republican Vivek Ramaswamy on October 25, 2026. The newspaper’s editorial board reversed a policy announced months earlier that ruled out endorsements in major political races.
The 184-year-old newspaper had previously decided to focus its endorsements on smaller elections. Its latest editorial explained why the board reconsidered that policy and raised concerns about Ramaswamy’s campaign advertisement.
The ad that made the newspaper change its mind
According to the report, The Plain Dealer had announced that it would stop endorsing candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and president. The decision was intended to give more attention to lower-profile elections, including judicial races, where voters often have limited information about candidates.
However, the editorial board said the advertisement involving Acton’s estranged mother prompted it to reconsider its position. The board argued that the campaign had improperly brought Acton’s childhood experiences into the governor’s race. “A candidate who uses childhood sexual abuse as a weapon against the person who endured it has crossed a line that Ohioans should defend, whatever their party,” the editorial board wrote.
The advertisement featured Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar and questioning her credibility. Arthur also urged Ohio voters not to support Acton. Although the advertisement did not explicitly discuss childhood sexual abuse, critics connected it to allegations involving Acton’s former stepfather.
Acton has previously accused her stepfather of repeatedly sexually abusing her during childhood. Her mother reportedly remained with him despite the allegations. Arthur and her husband subsequently fled Ohio before his criminal case reached trial. The allegations were never resolved through a completed criminal trial. Acton and her brother were reportedly removed from their mother’s custody following concerns about their safety.
The advertisement received objections from both Democrats and Republicans. Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine called on Ramaswamy to withdraw it. DeWine had previously worked with Acton when she served as Ohio’s health director during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ramaswamy defended the advertisement, maintaining that it addressed questions about Acton’s credibility rather than the allegations involving her childhood. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance also defended the campaign’s decision to release it.
The newspaper said its endorsement was not based exclusively on the advertisement. The editorial board also considered the candidates’ experience and their participation in discussions about issues affecting Ohio residents.
Acton participated in the newspaper’s 15-part series answering questions submitted by readers. Ramaswamy declined to participate. The editorial board criticized his limited engagement with its questions about governing the state.
“Our endorsement of Acton rests on more than Ramaswamy’s failure to meet a basic standard of decency,” the newspaper wrote. “She has earned consideration on her own record, her preparation and her commitment to the people she seeks to serve.”
The board also addressed its decision to depart from the endorsement policy introduced earlier in 2026. “We made our endorsement policy to serve our readers,” the newspaper wrote. “We cannot let it become a reason to remain silent when we believe Ohio faces a choice this consequential.”
Ramaswamy’s press secretary, Evan Machan, criticized the endorsement and questioned the newspaper’s impartiality. “Anyone who thought Chris Quinn’s paper wouldn’t back the liberal in this race is fooling themselves,” Machan said. Quinn helps oversee newsroom strategy for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com. Acton responded on X, saying she was “honored” to receive the endorsement. The endorsement came ahead of Ohio’s November 3 gubernatorial election.
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