Don Kissick calls on Ramaswamy to withdraw from the Ohio governor's race over the ad
Don KissickLibertarian nominee for Ohio governor
At a press conference in Ottawa, Ohio, Kissick said the ad turned Acton's childhood trauma into a political weapon and called it a profound failure of judgment. He asked Ramaswamy to withdraw, stop airing the ad and apologize to Acton and her family.
“I believe this conduct falls far short of the standard Ohioans should expect from a governor. I believe it demonstrates a profound failure of judgment. And, I believe that a person seeking to lead all Ohioans must understand that some things matter more than winning an election. Therefore, today, I am publicly calling on Vivek Ramaswamy to withdraw from the race for Governor of Ohio.”
Original text
Reporting
Other statements by Don Kissick in this case
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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
Original text
About this source
The Libertarian Party of Ohio's transcript of the prepared remarks Kissick delivered at a press conference in Ottawa, Ohio, on October 21, 2026. The page links video of the full press conference.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
WLIO report on Kissick's October 21 news conference in Ottawa, Ohio, quoting his call for Ramaswamy to withdraw and his complaint that Ramaswamy had not agreed to debate him. The station discloses that Kissick is one of its employees.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Kissick said the Ramaswamy campaign had produced the ad featuring Acton's estranged mother and had reportedly committed $4 million to airing it. He said he disagrees with both Acton and Ramaswamy on many issues, and that exploiting the pain of a victim of abuse for political gain is itself a form of abuse.
After the quotation
He also asked the campaign to stop broadcasting the ad and to apologize directly to Acton and her family. He then faulted Ramaswamy for criticizing Acton for declining to debate while not answering Kissick's own debate requests.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Kissick rejects the campaign's decision to produce and air the ad, calls it a failure of judgment and asks Ramaswamy to leave the race. That condemns the conduct the case tracks.
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- Vivek Ramaswamy
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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The Dispute Index. "Don Kissick calls on Ramaswamy to withdraw from the Ohio governor's race over the ad". First published: 2026-11-13. Last updated: 2026-11-13. https://disputeindex.com/events/8846-at-a-press-conference-in-ottawa-ohio-kissick