Donald Trump Backs Vivek Ramaswamy Over Controversial Attack Ad in Ohio

US President Donald Trump advised Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to continue airing a controversial attack advertisement targeting his Democratic rival, Amy Acton, despite widespread bipartisan criticism ahead of the midterm elections.

The campaign commercial features Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Acton, who accuses her daughter of lying about her past and urges voters to reject her bid for governor in the tight race to replace outgoing Republican Governor Mike DeWine.

Acton has not seen her mother since 1978, when she and her brother were removed from maternal custody following a report of alleged sexual abuse by their stepfather, who was later indicted before fleeing the state.

The controversy has intensified an already fierce contest in Ohio, where opinion polls show a close race between the candidates and election forecasters have adjusted their ratings following the release of the advertisement.

Acton condemned her opponent over the commercial and the personal attacks used in the campaign.

"I won't normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I'm complaining about," said Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio.

The Ramaswamy campaign is spending $4m to promote the advertisement across television and streaming platforms.

Governor DeWine called the commercial deeply troubling and urged the campaign to withdraw it from the airwaves, noting that family members have historically remained off limits in political campaigns.

"The ad, on its face, is deeply, deeply troubling," said Mike DeWine, the governor of Ohio.

Trump dismissed the backlash and recounted a telephone conversation in which Ramaswamy asked for guidance regarding the intense media scrutiny surrounding the commercial.

"When I first saw it, I thought, 'Wow, that means Vivek will easily win the race'," said Donald Trump, the US president.

Vice President JD Vance also defended the campaign strategy, while former President Barack Obama joined critics on the campaign trail to condemn the advertisement during a visit to Ohio.

"In recent days, we have seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to," said Barack Obama, the former US president.

Ramaswamy defended the commercial during campaign stops, characterizing the criticism as an effort by opponents to change the subject.

"The irony is they're lying about an ad that is about lying," said Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor of Ohio.

Voters across the state remain divided over whether the advertising tactics cross an ethical boundary as the final days of the campaign unfold.