A controversial video in which the estranged mother of Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton tears into her own daughter is likely to backfire on Acton’s Republican opponent, one prominent GOP strategist warned.
A video that spread on social media Tuesday features a woman identifying herself as Acton’s mother, who goes on to call her own daughter a “liar” who “can’t help” Ohioans. She also explicitly urges Ohio voters not to vote for Acton.
Acton has claimed to have been abused by her stepfather, who was previously accused of molestation, when she was between 9 and 12. Acton’s mother and stepfather were criminally charged for abuse at a time when the family was living in a tent outside Youngstown. The two skipped town while out on bond, and Acton moved in with her father.
The controversial video appears as though it’s a campaign ad, but an analysis by Newsweek couldn’t identify when it was made or who financed it. Political writer D.J. Byrnes accused GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy of being involved in the video, as did Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, who condemned Ramaswamy as a “pathetic excuse for a man” for his alleged involvement in what he called a “desperate, disgusting attack.”
Liz Mair, a longtime GOP strategist and communications consultant, argued that, regardless of who was behind the video, it would likely hurt Ramaswamy’s electoral prospects.
“This is a terrible ad that is going to remind people of that one family member who hates them for no rational reason at all and make them feel sympathetic towards Acton,” Mair wrote in a statement published on social media.
“I know when I watched it, I was like ‘egads, if I ever ran for office, I know my opponent could find at least three family members who would cut an ad like this’ and all three of those people are people I consider to be deeply psychologically unwell, petty, spiteful, and generally wrong on most things and not credible. In brief, it pushed me towards Acton, not away from her.”
Mair’s assessment was shared by countless others.
“As someone who has 0 contact with their mother because of an abusive childhood — this is f—— disgusting,” wrote prominent liberal activist Olivia Julianna in a statement published on social media. “Vivek Ramaswamy deserves to lose for a number of reasons but boy does this really take the cake. She lost custody of her when she was 12.”
Jason Johnson, a political scientist and professor of multimedia journalism at Morgan State University, contended that the controversial video wouldn’t land with Ohio voters in the way it appears intended to.
This is a terrible ad that is going to remind people of that one family member who hates them for no rational reason at all and make them feel sympathetic towards Acton. I know when I watched it, I was like “egads, if I ever ran for office, I know my opponent could find at least three family members who would cut an ad like this” and all three of those people are people I consider to be deeply psychologically unwell, petty, spiteful, and generally wrong on most things and not credible. In brief, it pushed me towards Acton, not away from her. And this is genuinely the only thing I’ve seen or read about Acton to make me think anything positive of her (previously, she was just a blank slate for me, whereas Vivek was a very annoying person who I think can do maths and attract business to Ohio). — Liz Mair (@LizMair) October 20, 2026
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