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Defense & Security · North America

Amy Acton rises to ActBlue’s second-highest fundraising spot as Ohio ad draws criticism

Amy Acton became ActBlue’s second-highest fundraiser this week as an advertisement featuring her estranged mother drew attention to Ohio’s governor’s race. Acton accused Vivek Ramaswamy of using the advertisement for political gain, while Mike DeWine urged him to remove it.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 5 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 5 outletsHow it's made

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5 outlets2 regionsLatest reporting 3 min readNo new reporting in 3 days
Coverage: Mostly RightL 0 · C 1 · R 2 · 2 unrated
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Photo: United States Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

What happened

Key facts

  • Acton is challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.
  • Acton accused Ramaswamy of exploiting her mother for political gain; her brother, Philip Stearns, called the advertisement “disgusting.”
  • Mike DeWine urged Ramaswamy to take the advertisement down, calling it “deeply, deeply troubling”; Sen. Jon Husted also criticized the decision to air it.

The brief

Amy Acton became the second-highest fundraiser on the Democrat-aligned platform ActBlue this week as an advertisement featuring her estranged mother brought attention to Ohio’s gubernatorial race, the Washington Examiner reported. Acton is challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine. The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton’s birth mother, urging voters to reject her daughter’s candidacy. Arthur says Acton lies about her past. The Washington Examiner reported that the spot first circulated on social media through third parties, rather than directly from Ramaswamy’s campaign; his team later took credit for it and committed $4 million to promote it. Acton said she was sexually abused by Arthur’s husband between the ages of 10 and 12 and accused her birth mother of failing to protect her. She accused Ramaswamy of using her mother for political gain. Her brother, Philip Stearns, called the advertisement “disgusting,” according to the Washington Examiner. DeWine urged Ramaswamy to remove the advertisement, describing it as “deeply, deeply troubling.” The myMotherLode.com headline likewise reports that DeWine denounced the ad, without giving further details. The Washington Examiner also reports that Sen. Jon Husted criticized the decision to air it. The campaign’s fundraising and the ad controversy have coincided: the Washington Examiner reported Acton’s ActBlue standing and that the advertisement was drawing national attention to the race. Illinois first lady MK Pritzker, the wife of Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, gave Acton’s campaign $500,000, citing the advertisement as a reason for her support. Pritzker said, “Bad men gain power when we refuse to stand up and fight.”

Polling released Tuesday put Ramaswamy 7 points behind Acton, according to the Washington Examiner. The account does not identify the poll or provide further details about its methodology. A Toledo Blade headline says Acton discussed the advertisement at a meeting with the newspaper, alongside a chemical leak, but provides no further account of what she said there.

Why it matters

  • Acton’s campaign is challenging Ramaswamy for the Republican-held governor’s office as Mike DeWine approaches the end of his term.
  • The ad’s personal allegations are central to the dispute: Acton described alleged childhood sexual abuse and accused her birth mother of failing to protect her.
  • The campaign-finance stakes include Acton’s second-place ActBlue ranking and a $500,000 contribution from Illinois first lady MK Pritzker, which she said was prompted in part by the ad.
  • Ramaswamy’s team committed $4 million to promote the advertisement, while DeWine urged him to take it down.

What to watch next

  • Whether Ramaswamy removes the advertisement after Mike DeWine urged him to do so.
  • Whether Ramaswamy’s team proceeds with the stated $4 million commitment to promote the advertisement.
  • How Acton and Ramaswamy fare in the governor’s race; the reported poll released Tuesday placed Ramaswamy 7 points behind Acton.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
5 source articles · 5 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Mostly Right· 1 Center · 2 Right · 2 unrated
Where the outlets are based: US/Canada 40% · Unknown 40% · Other 20%
Outlet political mix
Mostly Right
Left
Center
Right
0 outlets
1 outlet
2 outlets
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once. 2 unrated outlets are not included.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
5 unique outletsDominant coverage: US/Canada
How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. Acton’s fundraising platform, ActBlue, was founded in 2004 as an online fundraising service for Democratic candidates and organizations.
    Background · from our historical context
  2. Mike DeWine and Jon Husted were elected governor and lieutenant governor of Ohio.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. DeWine appointed her director of the Ohio Department of Health in 2019.
    Background · from our historical context
  4. The contest to succeed him therefore opened a vacancy in a state where Republicans had held the governorship since DeWine took office in January 2019.
    Background · from our historical context
  5. Acton resigned as health director on June 11, 2020, after months of public attention and political disputes over pandemic restrictions.
    Background · from our historical context
  6. Mike DeWine and Jon Husted won reelection as Ohio governor and lieutenant governor.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  7. Vivek Ramaswamy announced his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  8. He ended that campaign on January 15, 2024, after the Iowa caucuses, and endorsed Donald Trump.
    Background · from our historical context
  9. Amy Acton announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Ohio governor.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  10. Gov. Mike DeWine selected Jon Husted to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy left by JD Vance.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

Ohio’s 2026 governor’s race follows two elections in which Mike DeWine won the office: he defeated Democrat Richard Cordray in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. Ohio’s constitution limits a governor to two consecutive four-year terms, making DeWine ineligible to seek another consecutive term in 2026.

The contest to succeed him therefore opened a vacancy in a state where Republicans had held the governorship since DeWine took office in January 2019. Amy Acton became a prominent Ohio public official during DeWine’s first term. DeWine appointed her director of the Ohio Department of Health in 2019.

Original sources

2 of 5 articles · US/Canada · Show all

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