Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), on Tuesday condemned a political advertisement that features the estranged mother of Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, calling it “dastardly” and demanding accountability from its creators.
“This is a dastardly ad. It never should have been created. Shame on whatever consultant firm created this,” McCain wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The ad, which has circulated widely but whose funding remains undisclosed, shows Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, labeling her daughter a “liar.” In the clip, Arthur claims Acton fabricated details of her childhood, including a period of homelessness, and says, “She’s lied her entire life. My daughter needs help, and she can’t help you if she needs help herself.” Arthur closes by urging voters not to let Acton become governor.
Acton’s campaign did not immediately respond to questions about the ad’s origins. But a spokesperson for her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, distanced the campaign from the video while amplifying its message. “We don’t know what happened between Amy and her mother,” the spokesperson told The Hill. “But we know that Amy Acton is a serial fabulist who has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of before deciding who to entrust as governor.”
The personal attack centers on Acton’s 2019 interview with The Vindicator, in which she described experiencing sexual abuse, neglect, and homelessness after her parents’ divorce. Acton said she eventually moved in with her father and other relatives after charges were filed against her stepfather.
Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, issued a searing response Tuesday, accusing Ramaswamy of exploiting his sister’s trauma for political gain. “It is not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said in a press release.
Stearns added that after the stepfather’s arrest and the removal of Amy and himself from their mother’s custody, “our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died.”
The controversy comes as the Ohio governor’s race tightens, with national Democrats increasingly investing in the state. Former President Obama is set to rally for Acton and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in Cleveland, a sign that the party sees a competitive opportunity. The race has also drawn attention for its harsh tone, with personal allegations now overshadowing policy debates.
McCain’s intervention adds a prominent Republican voice to the criticism of the ad. She has previously spoken about the toll of personal attacks on political families, and her rebuke underscores discomfort even within GOP circles about the strategy. The ad’s anonymous funding has raised questions about coordination and transparency, particularly given Ramaswamy’s status as a wealthy outsider candidate.
As the race enters its final stretch, the episode highlights the increasing willingness of campaigns to weaponize candidates’ personal histories. Acton, a former Ohio health director who became a national figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, has faced scrutiny over her record and statements. But the involvement of her estranged mother has crossed a line for some observers, including McCain, who said the ad “never should have been created.”
The Ramaswamy campaign has not said whether it will continue to promote the ad or its message. Acton’s supporters, meanwhile, are rallying around her, framing the attack as an invasion of privacy that distracts from the issues. With Obama’s visit looming and early voting underway, the ad’s impact remains uncertain—but it has already injected a deeply personal feud into an already combative race.
