'We Now Deserve to Lose': Ramaswamy Ad Deepens GOP Panic in Ohio

Vivek Ramaswamy speaks during the Darke County Republican Party Hog Roast in Greenville, Ohio, on Oct.

18, 2026, days before the debut of a new campaign ad drew fierce bipartisan backlash. —Michael M.

Santiago—Getty Images The fierce and bipartisan backlash to gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's decision to feature his opponent's estranged mother in an ad left Republicans in Ohio and Washington reeling on Wednesday, as both Ramaswamy and Vice President J.D.

Vance doubled down on the divisive strategy.

Publicly, Republicans were mounting a defense, led by Vance, who is from Ohio and was campaigning in Cincinnati on Wednesday, treating the ad as a gamechanging October surprise.

But privately, old-guard Republicans were baffled that Ramaswamy would dare to deploy Democratic nominee Amy Acton’s own mother, who has not spoken to her daughter since 1978 when she defended Acton’s stepfather who was indicted for raping Acton as a child.

Some predicted the ad was likely to draw more empathy and interest in Acton from voters, and turn them away from Ramaswamy.

“We’ve lost the plot,” says one Republican strategist.

“We had a real good chance and then we do this two weeks out.” Adds a second: “We now deserve to lose this race.” The addition of this ad so close to Election Day roiled races in Ohio up and down the ballot.

“I would not have run that ad,” Republican Sen.

Jon Husted, running in a tight and expensive race for re-election against Sherrod Brown in Ohio, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Other players in the state's Republican circles say the ad has all the pieces of a misfire, especially among women.

Recent polls have shown Acton leading but not running away with the race.

A Marist University poll released this week showed her up seven points.