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Democrat Amy Acton was reported to have won the Ohio governor’s race, with NBC News and CNN making the projection. She defeated billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy after a campaign that included advertisements in which Acton was strongly attacked.
Acton is expected to become Ohio’s next governor.
4 sources
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed it paid for a video in which Donna Arthur, the estranged biological mother of his Democratic opponent Amy Acton, called her daughter a liar and urged voters not to support her. The campaign said it planned to spend $4 million more to distribute the advertisement. Acton said she would not accept her childhood being dismissed; her brother accused Ramaswamy of exploiting her sexual abuse for political gain. Her campaign provided court records that, according to the reports, showed her stepfather had been charged with raping her in 1978 after abuse alleged to have occurred from 1976 to 1978. Acton has not been in contact with her biological mother since childhood. The advertisement drew criticism from Republicans and Democrats, including prominent Republicans. Later reports said President Donald Trump intervened in the dispute, supported the television advertisement and described it as very strong, while also clashing with Ramaswamy. The race is reported to be close.