Washington, Oct 2026 : Former US President Barack Obama has criticised Indian-American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy over a controversial campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, Amy Acton, accusing the Ohio gubernatorial candidate of crossing ethical boundaries to attract attention.
Speaking at his first rally of the midterm campaign in Cleveland on Saturday, Obama described Ramaswamy as someone desperate for publicity and questioned the standards of political campaigning.
“We all know that guy — who is, like, thirsty,” Obama said. “Just wants to get attention no matter what, willing to do anything. And in recent days we’ve seen there is no line he won’t cross.”
Obama added that he was troubled by the advertisement, questioning how political campaigns had reached a point where such material could be used against an opponent.
Obama Campaigns for Democratic Candidates
Obama addressed supporters at the Cleveland Public Auditorium to campaign for Acton, Ramaswamy’s Democratic rival in the Ohio governor’s race, and former US Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to regain his Senate seat.
During his approximately 35-minute speech, Obama also devoted considerable attention to criticising President Donald Trump and his administration.
Acton, a physician who led Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the state’s health director, also responded to the controversy surrounding the advertisement.
“My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his struggling campaign, but it’s not going to work,” she said.
The Ramaswamy campaign rejected the criticism. Spokesperson Connie Luck responded by accusing Acton of prioritising political appearances over Ohioans’ concerns.
“Ohioans can’t afford a liberal governor who shows up for Obama but never shows up for them,” Luck said.
Controversial Advertisement Triggers Backlash
The dispute centres on a campaign advertisement featuring Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged mother, who calls her daughter a “liar”.
Acton has said she has neither seen nor spoken to Arthur in nearly 50 years. She was removed from her mother’s custody in 1978 after her then-stepfather was charged with rape, according to the account provided in the report.
The Ramaswamy campaign has switched to a shorter, 30-second version of the advertisement, a person close to the campaign told NBC News. The revised version removes Arthur’s disputed claim that Acton never lived in a tent during her childhood.
The controversy has also generated financial support for Acton. Al Jazeera reported that MK Pritzker, the wife of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, donated $500,000 to her campaign.
Republicans Divided Over Ramaswamy Ad
The advertisement has drawn mixed reactions from prominent Republicans, exposing divisions within the party over campaign tactics.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who has endorsed Ramaswamy, described the advertisement as “deeply, deeply troubling”. Vice President JD Vance, meanwhile, urged Republicans to “stop whining” about the controversy.
Trump has praised the advertisement, describing it as “very powerful”.
The dispute has added pressure to an already closely watched Ohio gubernatorial contest. The Cook Political Report shifted its rating from “Toss-Up” to “Lean Democratic” on Friday, citing the fallout from the controversy. Sabato’s Crystal Ball has also rated the race “Lean Democratic”.
Ohio Governor Election Set for November 3
Ramaswamy, 41, is a biotechnology entrepreneur born and raised in Ohio and is running with Trump’s endorsement. Acton, 60, brings experience in medicine and public health administration to the contest.
Trump is scheduled to return to Ohio next week for an event in Chillicothe.
The election will take place on November 3. If Acton wins, she would become Ohio’s first Democratic governor in 20 years, making the contest significant for both parties as they compete for political influence ahead of the US midterm elections.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
