Vivek Ramaswamy’s political attack ad stirs debate: should Republicans play nicer?
Politics isn’t for the faint of heart. Vicious attack ads are a hallmark of political campaigns, and a recent ad in the Ohio gubernatorial race has certainly sparked controversy. It begs the question: if Democrats are allowed to play dirty, should Republicans play by the same rules?
Opinion-analysis by Summer Lane | October 23, 2026
This week, a mysterious political ad surfaced on social media. The ad featured the mother of Democrat Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. In the segment, Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, accused her daughter of being a “liar” who “needs help,” and urged Ohioans not to vote for her this upcoming midterm Election Day.
Initially, it was unclear who was behind the ad, but eventually, Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign claimed responsibility.
Why is the ad so controversial? Because Arthur and Acton have been estranged for years. Unfortunately, the estrangement is rooted in allegations of past abuse. According to Philip Stearns, Acton’s brother, the two children were removed from Arthur’s custody when Amy was 12 years old, due to allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of their stepfather, Donna’s husband.
As such, some critics argued that utilizing Acton’s estranged mother as a political tool was a step too far, given the murky and potentially highly traumatic past circumstances. This seems like a fair assessment.
However, Republicans have been quick to point out that over the past decade, Democrats have had no qualms about launching personal and often outrageously lascivious attacks against President Donald Trump and members of his family.
This is a point Vice President JD Vance made while addressing Ramaswamy’s ad this week.
“Politics is a tough business,” he said. “And my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days.”
It’s a fair point. Still, many Republicans may wonder if they should “get down in the mud,” so to speak, with Democrats and play the same game.
A recent example: One can hardly forget when Caroline Kennedy, an estranged family member of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released a brutal open letter to the U.S. Senate, urging them not to confirm Kennedy as the HHS Secretary in the Republican Trump administration. She accused Kennedy Jr. of being a “predator” in an extremely unkind and unflattering attack.
Should Republicans respond with the same kind of character assassination? Because now, it appears that political ideas or proposed agenda items matter precious little. Instead, the homestretch of campaigning always seems to come down to the best “gotcha” moment or October surprises.
Indeed, in a political sphere shaped dominantly by the brutal media attacks against President Trump during his first term, his second presidential campaign, and the legal warfare against him in 2024, politics has only gotten tougher.
Perhaps Ramaswamy’s ad is simply a barometer of society today, because, really, how shocking can a political ad be in a world running on a daily diet of horror and scandal?
Case in point: recent allegations against the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham surfaced this week in a documentary. In the film, three male prostitutes allege that Graham paid them for sex – and the story is not nearly as shocking as it might have been two or three decades ago.
Frankly, the story, whether it’s true or not, barely registers as a blip on the media Richter scale these days, and it will likely do little to deter Graham’s surviving sister, interim South Carolina Republican Sen. Darline Graham, from winning a full six-year term in his vacated seat.
From this perspective, it’s hard to see how Ramaswamy’s ad is shocking. Distasteful? Certainly. But out-of-line with modern politics? Not really.
And, in all fairness, President Donald Trump made a logical argument about the ad on Thursday, pointing out the hypocrisy of media outlets decrying the dirty nature of Ramaswamy’s ad.
“If my mother, the legendary Mary MacLeod Trump, said anything bad about me, the Fake News would play it up,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The Dumocrats would be totally supportive, and it would go down as the Ad of the Decade — Maybe the Century! It would win Awards for Excellence in Advertising. But, because Vivek, who will be a GREAT Governor, put it out, the ‘Artificial’ News has teamed up against him in order to damage, demean, and embarrass a Republican who is leading in the Polls.”
He’s not wrong. The double standard is glaring.
“…The fact is, Lyin’ Amy Acton, who I’ve never even heard of before, has been lying about Vivek for the entire Campaign,” the president continued. “I know the real Vivek, he is a brilliant and outstanding person who will cut Taxes, stop Crime and, MAKE OHIO GREAT AGAIN. He will be a fantastic Governor!”
Like it or not – and many do not – this is the state of American politics today. Political ads like Ramaswamy’s may not be savory or even comfortable, but it is, sadly, the new normal.
To change this, politics in the U.S. would have to evolve significantly, but with a 24/7 news cycle, it’s unlikely the landscape will shift anytime soon – if ever.
Political “niceness” will do candidates no favors, unless the media ordains it, and let’s face it, America. That’s probably never going to happen.
Photo: Adobe Stock
