Vivek Ramaswamy and allies mock the Democrat's therapy and air ad featuring her estranged mother to close campaign

Published October 22, 2026 6:00AM (EDT)

Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former director of the Ohio Department of Health, speaks to supporters during a rally on April 28, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

This story was originally published by The 19th .

This story was originally reported by Amanda Becker of The 19th . Meet Amanda and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy .

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is closing out one of the nastiest races of the 2026 cycle by suggesting that Democrat Amy Acton, his opponent in the Ohio governor’s race, has lied about the well-documented childhood sexual abuse she experienced for political gain.

In a contest marked by sharp personal attacks and partisan rancor, Ramaswamy’s latest attempt to paint Acton as unfit for office came in the form of a minute-long ad that began circulating…