OMM Newsroom
Democrat Amy Acton is projected to defeat Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, according to CBS News projections. BBC World reported that the contest was bitterly fought.
Acton’s victory would make her the first Democrat and the first woman to win the Ohio governor’s race in two decades.
Ohio, a key battleground for much of the 2000s, has backed Republican Donald Trump in the past three presidential elections, including by 11 points in 2024. Frustration over the economy and the cost of living was a central theme in the governor’s race.
Controversial campaign ad drew criticism
The race took an unexpected turn after Ramaswamy’s campaign released a personal attack ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur. In the ad, Arthur said her daughter had “lied her entire life”. It did not mention that Arthur’s husband was charged with raping Acton when she was a child.
The ad remained a focus during the final weeks of the campaign. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley criticised it, and Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine called it “deeply troubling”.
President Trump defended the ad, calling it “powerful” and encouraging Ramaswamy to keep it on air. Vice-President JD Vance, a former Ohio senator, said he wanted fellow Republicans to stop “whining” about it and that he was “a little bit disgusted” by criticism from members of his party.
Ramaswamy said his campaign would spend $4m (£3m) to air the ad across Ohio. After it began airing, the editorial board of the local newspaper “The Columbus Dispatch” endorsed Acton, describing the ad as “revolting and unsettling”.
Acton pledges to work across party lines
Ramaswamy, a billionaire biotech entrepreneur, ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump in 2024 before turning to the Ohio governor’s race. He presented himself as a political outsider, like Trump, and said he wanted to advance the president’s “America First” agenda.
In his concession speech, Ramaswamy said he was “rooting” for Ohio and Acton.
Acton is a physician and public health official. During her campaign, she discussed experiencing homelessness as a child while making the case for affordability.
In her acceptance speech on Tuesday, Acton said, “The healing begins today.” She also pledged to work with “anyone and everyone”, whether they voted for her or not, to make life better for Ohioans.
Acton will succeed DeWine, who is barred from seeking another term because of term limits. Ohio voted for Trump in 2024, but Republican candidates are now facing close challenges across the country.
