Ramaswamy says the ad was about Acton lying about him
Vivek RamaswamyRepublican nominee for Ohio governor, answering a reporter after a campaign event in Troy
Asked by a Mother Jones reporter in Troy, Ohio, whether he believes Acton lied about being raped, Ramaswamy did not answer directly. He said the ad was about Acton lying about him and accused her of lying about him extensively in the race.
“Our ad was about her lying about me, and I can confirm she has lied about me extensively in this race, and it's shameful”
Reporting
Other statements by Vivek Ramaswamy in this case
- Ramaswamy defends the ad as scrutiny of ActonEarlier: Defended or excused
- Ramaswamy says the ad concerns lying rather than childhood abuseEarlier: Defended or excused
- Ramaswamy defends continuing the fight over the adEarlier: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
Ramaswamy's campaign defends using Amy Acton's estranged mother in an attack ad
Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign produced an advertisement in which Amy Acton's estranged mother accuses her of lying. Acton says Ramaswamy took advantage of her mother, and the campaign defends its attack on Acton's credibility. Critics from both parties condemn the tactic, while Laura Loomer defends it.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Mother Jones report by Abby Vesoulis on her exchange with Vivek Ramaswamy after a campaign event at K's Hamburger Shop in Troy, Ohio, on October 29, 2026, in which she asked whether he believed Acton lied about being raped.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
After a campaign event at K's Hamburger Shop in Troy, Ohio, Mother Jones reporter Abby Vesoulis asked Ramaswamy whether he thought Acton had lied about being raped.
After the quotation
Asked again whether Acton lied about rape, he said he was talking to voters, and campaign staff moved the reporter away. The same day in Vandalia, he confirmed that the ad had stopped airing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The matter under scrutiny is the campaign's use of Acton's estranged mother in the ad. Ramaswamy again describes the ad as being about Acton's honesty toward him and does not retreat from it, which defends the ad. This matches his October 23 statement.
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- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseGraham says Ramaswamy's "Relax" ad dismisses objections to the earlier ad
“Deploying the word "relax" in response to objections to Ramaswamy's exploitation of a child's rape diminishes the horrors that Acton endured and has carried as a survivor.”Read statement
Acton calls the ad "absolutely despicable" after it leaves the air
“There is no bar too low apparently for my opponent, he will say and do anything. ... I think it was absolutely despicable to do this. I really hope everyone is held accountable for their behavior in this.”Read statement
Acton's campaign says Ramaswamy pulled the ad without an apology
“Vivek Ramaswamy should never have run his despicable ad in the first place, and 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”Read statement
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- Ramaswamy says the ad was about Acton lying about him
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The Dispute Index. "Ramaswamy says the ad was about Acton lying about him". First published: 2026-10-31. Last updated: 2026-10-31. https://disputeindex.com/events/7446-asked-by-a-mother-jones-reporter-in-troy