CNN
By Patrick Svitek, Lauren Fox, CNN
Wharton, Ohio (CNN) – Some prominent Republicans in Ohio are starting to distance themselves from a controversial new released by their gubernatorial nominee, Vivek Ramaswamy. This comes even as Vice President JD Vance cautioned the party against creating divisions over the ad.
“I wouldn’t have run that ad,” stated Sen. Jon Husted, who is currently involved in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country. He made this comment to the Associated Press shortly after attending a rally in Cincinnati alongside Vance and Ramaswamy.
The Ramaswamy has faced criticism from both sides of the political aisle for including remarks from the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.
In the video, Acton’s mother accuses her daughter of lying and urges voters not to back her. Acton has claimed she hasn’t seen her mother since she was around 12 years old when her mother’s husband sexually abused her and faced criminal charges.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank La Rose mentioned to an ABC affiliate in Columbus that he “probably wouldn’t run an ad like that.” La Rose is campaigning for state auditor.
At least one other Republican candidate in Ohio personally urged gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy not to air this controversial ad featuring his opponent’s estranged mother, according to a GOP operative who spoke with CNN.
For months now, Ramaswamy has been trailing behind other candidates in state polls. There’s growing concern among some that he could further harm the Republican Party’s image with a last-minute move meant to rally support among his base, said the source.
“Republicans across the state are probably extremely frustrated with him,” remarked the operative during their conversation with CNN.
However, another GOP operative downplayed any potential impact Ramaswamy might have on voter sentiment, suggesting that since he’s already lagging behind other candidates, many concerns about him may already be established among Republican voters.
President Donald Trump, who endorsed Ramaswamy early on during the Ohio primary process, didn’t express strong opinions about the ad compared to Vance when asked about it Wednesday. Trump told reporters at the White House that he “didn’t know anything about it” but noted that he heard “the mother went very rogue on the daughter.”
“It’s a very unusual situation,” Trump added.
What Vance said
On Wednesday morning, Vance-who previously served as an Ohio senator-instructed his fellow Republicans to set aside any hesitations regarding the .
“Politics can be tough work; my message for my fellow elected Republicans is if you really believe in what you say you do, stop complaining about an and go win this race in 13 days,” Vance remarked at a news conference held in Cincinnati.
The initial video-which circulated widely on social media platforms and was even shared by Donald Trump Jr.-has been stirring up controversy throughout this gubernatorial race since its debut online. It brings attention back to Acton’s claims of abuse she experienced at her stepfather’s hands during her childhood.
Before Wednesday afternoon arrived, most criticism aimed at the ad had come from national figures such as Nikki Haley-who competed against Ramaswamy for president in 2024-but comments made by Husted and La Rose revealed some fractures within Ohio Republicans’ previous silence on this matter.
When asked about his thoughts on appropriateness regarding this at a news conference later on, Vance refrained from commenting directly but expressed feeling “a little bit disgusted” that some Republicans seemed more upset over it than they were concerning Democrats and their policies.
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