Controversial Ramaswamy ad with Acton’s mother off the air

Ohio gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy’s (R) campaign is no longer airing a controversial ad featuring his opponent’s mother after it ran its course on the air.

The campaign previously put millions behind the ad, even after backlash from members of both parties.

The ad features Ramaswamy’s Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s mother, who calls her daughter a “liar” and tells voters not to choose her for governor of Ohio.

Acton’s campaign responded to the ad, explaining that she was removed from her mother’s custody at age 12 after being sexually abused by her stepfather, who her mother remained with until his death.

Members of both parties criticized the ad and said Ramaswamy should take it down, including Ohio’s current Republican governor, Mike DeWine.

“This ad is deeply, deeply troubling,” DeWine said. “When you know the back story … it makes it just more wrong.”

President Trump and Vice President Vance both vehemently defended Ramaswamy.

Ramaswamy said at a rally Thursday that the ad ran to completion, and that the campaign had “put up four other ads,” the Columbus Dispatch reported .

In a statement on Thursday, an Acton campaign spokesperson said Ramaswamy never should have run the ad.

“It’s totally unsurprising that he took it off the air in the most cowardly way possible, without even the hint of an apology to Dr. Acton, her family, or to the people of Ohio,” spokesperson Addie Bullock said.

The controversy over the ad drew national attention to an already expensive and highly contested race.

Ramaswamy was already behind in polling before the ad’s release, and nonpartisan election forecaster Decision Desk HQ, a partner of The Hill, gives Acton a 61 percent chance to win.