Ohio Dem Candidate's Mother Calls Her A Liar In Viral Ad
Two weeks before Election Day, a one-minute video has thrown the Ohio gubernatorial race into chaos. The clip features Donna Arthur, the mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton, telling voters to reject her own daughter. According to the Daily Wire, Arthur calls Acton a liar and says she fabricated stories about her childhood.
The mother's words are sharp and direct. She warns voters that Acton will only make their lives worse if she becomes governor.
The video appeared online on Tuesday and sparked immediate anger. The New York Post reports that Arthur claims Acton has a "serious problem" and needs help. She informed the audience that individuals can alter, yet initially they must speak honestly, and her daughter continues to fail at this. The ad does not say who paid for it or when it was made.
https://t.co/QOadUNGv2u
— Dr. Amy Acton (@amyactonoh) October 20, 2026
Acton's campaign moved fast to respond. They blamed Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for the attack. The campaign released a statement calling the video an "attempt to platform their estranged and abusive mother." According to the Daily Wire, the campaign also noted there is no proof Ramaswamy was behind the ad.
Acton's brother, Phillip Stearns, released a strong statement in response. He argued that the ad is a desperate move by Ramaswamy. Stearns remarked that it is hardly shocking that Vivek Ramaswamy has sunk to such a vile level by trying to weaponize the sexual abuse Amy faced at twelve years old by their birth mother's husband as a political issue.
Stearns shared details about the family's past to counter the mother's claims. He declared that once he faced arrest and Amy and he were taken from their care, their birth mother remained wed to Amy's rapist until his death. He argued that the ad reveals more about Ramaswamy than it does about his sister. Stearns called the attack "desperate" and "disgusting."
BOMBSHELL:
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton’s own mother urges voters not to vote for her daughter.
“My name is Donna Arthur and I’m Amy Acton’s mother. I worked at Children and Family Service Association, building one of the first two sexual abuse programs in America.
I love my daughter, but when I saw her lying about her opponent—and it’s not easy for a mother to say this—but Amy has a serious problem.
She is a liar. She lies about her past. She says she grew up living in a tent. None of that is true. She’s lied her entire life.
My daughter needs help, and she can’t help you if she needs help herself. People can change, but first they have to tell the truth, and my daughter still isn’t doing that.
Don’t vote for people who lie. Don’t let her become your governor. If you think she’ll make your life better, you’re fooling yourself. It will only get worse.”
That’s one hell of an October surprise.
— Walter Curt (@wcdispatch) October 20, 2026
The Washington Times describes the video as a "vicious late-cycle attack." However, the truth about who created it remains unclear. The New York Post observes that the identity of the sponsor for the advertisement remained unclear. Ramaswamy's campaign did not comment on Tuesday.
