Republican Senate candidate Vivek Ramaswamy fired back at Democrat Amy Acton's campaign on Sunday, alleging that they had smeared his mother before he released a controversial advertisement earlier this month. The ad featured Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar.
During an appearance on Fox News, Ramaswamy was asked if he regretted the ad. He responded by invoking a personal code: "You never start a fight, but if you find yourself in one, you finish it, and you have to stand for what is right and what is true." He went on to claim, "They've attacked me. They've defamed my mother to media silence. It's unbelievable. And yet, at the same time, they'll trot out anything to attack a Republican."
Ramaswamy did not provide specifics on the alleged defamation, and his campaign did not immediately respond to requests for clarification. The accusation comes amid a bitter and personal contest that has drawn national attention, with both campaigns trading sharp blows.
Acton has been open about her traumatic childhood, including physical and sexual abuse and neglect. Court documents show that her mother remained with her stepfather even after he was charged with sexually abusing Acton when she was 12. The personal nature of the ad has drawn criticism, but Ramaswamy has defended it, arguing that voters deserve to see the attacks, a stance echoed by former President Trump, who has backed the ad.
The dispute traces back to August, when Acton's campaign released a press release targeting Ramaswamy's business record, specifically his role at Axovant, a pharmaceutical company he founded. The release alleged that Ramaswamy had "hired his own mother, who lacked research experience, to manipulate clinical trial data in an alleged 'pump and dump' pharmaceutical scheme." Acton's communications director, Addie Bullock, accused Ramaswamy of "shamelessly profiting off Alzheimer's patients and getting his own mother to manipulate clinical trial data, to make a buck."
Axovant went public with a valuation that briefly topped $350 million, but its stock collapsed after its lead Alzheimer's drug failed a phase 3 trial. However, a fact-check by Politifact found that Acton's claims that Ramaswamy pushed a drug he knew didn't work and scammed people out of hundreds of millions were "mostly false."
The mudslinging has intensified as the race tightens. A recent Fox News poll shows Acton leading Ramaswamy by just 2 points, within the margin of error. The contest has also drawn endorsements and interventions from national figures, with the Cleveland Plain Dealer endorsing Acton and slamming Ramaswamy's ad, while Trump and other Republicans have rallied behind him, deepening the GOP divide.
Political observers note that the ad war could backfire, as some voters may be turned off by the personal attacks. Yet Ramaswamy shows no sign of backing down, framing the fight as a defense of his family's honor. "We have to stand for what is right and what is true," he said, suggesting that the battle is far from over.
