Vivek Ramaswamy’s Campaign Faces Backlash Following Controversial Video

Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy faced a significant setback on prediction markets after a controversial video involving Amy Acton’s estranged mother circulated widely. The video prompted criticism and led to a decline in Ramaswamy’s odds for winning the upcoming election.

Impact on Prediction Markets

Kalshi, a prediction market platform, reported that Amy Acton’s chances of winning the Ohio governor’s race surged to 76 percent. Conversely, Ramaswamy’s odds dropped to 26.8 percent by Tuesday afternoon. A similar drop was noted on Polymarket, where Ramaswamy’s chances fell to 30 percent and further to 22 percent later in the day.

These market movements followed a video released on X by journalist Walter Curt. In the video, Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, accused her daughter of dishonesty and urged voters not to elect her as governor. The video quickly gained traction, amassing over 5 million views.

The video clip features allegations rather than confirmed facts, contrasting with accounts describing Acton’s unsettled childhood. According to the Associated Press, Acton was separated from her mother at age 12 amid claims of frequent relocations and difficult living conditions.

Ramaswamy’s Response

Ramaswamy acknowledged his campaign’s role in the video production. He expressed his desire for the election race to focus on substantive issues affecting Ohio residents. According to Ramaswamy, Acton has avoided these topics and refused to debate him.

Acton’s campaign criticized the advertisement, accusing Ramaswamy of exploiting Acton’s childhood trauma for political gain. Their statement condemned the video as a personal attack.

Public and Political Reaction

The backlash was swift as various individuals and politicos denounced the ad. Meghan McCain labeled the video as ‘dastardly,’ while Lydia Mihalik, an Ohio state official, called for decency in political campaigns despite differing opinions. Sherrod Brown, a candidate in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, called for condemnation of the video.

In contrast, conservative influencer Laura Loomer defended Ramaswamy and argued that he was performing well in polls.

Current Polling Data

Polls show a mixed picture for the Ohio governor’s race. Some forecasts, like The Cook Political Report, consider the race a toss-up. A few polls, including an ActiVote poll conducted among 400 likely voters, indicate Ramaswamy slightly ahead with 51.4 percent compared to Acton’s 48.6 percent; however, these results fall within a statistical tie.

Other polling data such as Marist and Bowling Green State University/YouGov present contrasting outcomes, with Acton leading in some results.