Acton's childhood becomes a campaign battleground
The dispute centers on an ad from Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy featuring Acton's estranged mother. She calls her daughter a "liar" and suggests she has mental health problems. At the rally for Acton and Brown, Obama condemned Ramaswamy's decision to press ahead with it: "In recent days, we've seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to."
Acton has described growing up in poverty and alleged that her stepfather sexually abused her. Authorities removed her and her brother from their mother's care after he was charged with rape. Responding to the ad, Acton said: "My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his struggling campaign, but it's not going to work".
Her stepfather, Cledith Arthur, pleaded not guilty before fleeing with his wife and remained a fugitive until his death. Newsweek reported that a Mahoning County grand jury indicted him on a rape charge and that he died in 2004 without facing prosecution. A court record from 1982 says Arthur lived in a tent, supporting an element of Acton's childhood account disputed by the ad.
The Associated Press reported that the video initially appeared in an Ohio political blogger's post before circulating on social media. The blogger said a voter had recorded it while taking part in a poll. The version that circulated lacked the "paid for" disclosure required for television ads to identify who produced and financed them.
Outgoing Republican Gov. Mike DeWine joined Democrats in criticizing the ad, but Ramaswamy refused to withdraw it. His campaign said it planned to spend $4 million broadcasting it. Meanwhile, The Hill reported on October 23 that Acton's fundraising had surged in the days after its release, putting her second on the Democratic donation platform ActBlue's list of top fundraisers.
Trump and Vance defend Ramaswamy
Trump has repeatedly argued that the ad has "nothing to do" with Acton's stepfather. Speaking to reporters Friday, he said: "It's a mother speaking badly against Amy Acton and, to me, it's very easy." When asked about Acton's decades-long estrangement from her mother, he replied: "I don't care".
After voting in Florida on Saturday, Trump again endorsed the mother's criticism: "The mother said that Amy Acton is a liar, and she's no good. And you know what? I don't think you can get a better reference on that."
Vice President JD Vance also defended the Ramaswamy campaign's right to run the ad. According to The Hill and Newsweek, he said its appropriateness was "not really my concern" and described himself as "disgusted" by Republicans who had called for it to be scrapped.
Fuel and trade costs weigh on Ohio
Despite the fight over the ad, affordability remains Ohio's central election issue. The state's manufacturing and agricultural sectors have been hit by higher costs, including a sharp rise in fuel prices during the Iran war. Diesel costs have been particularly painful in a state where about one in seven people works in agriculture.
On October 23, The Hill reported that Trump had invoked the Defense Production Act to spend $150 million on efforts to increase domestic gas and diesel production amid high fuel prices.
The same day, The Hill reported Iran's claim that its navy had struck seven oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, with three vessels hitting naval mines. The claim remained unconfirmed; if verified, the incident would be the largest involving vessels in the strait on a single day since the war began in February.
Tariffs have added to the pressure. Aircraft parts, motor vehicle parts and cars are among Ohio's major exports, and their production depends on steel and aluminum subject to substantial import taxes. Trump's renewed trade conflict with Canada also affects the state: Ohio imports about $1.55 billion in Canadian goods annually, while Canada receives most of its exports.
Unpredictable trade policy has left businesses facing uncertainty alongside higher costs and lower revenue. Recent national polls put Trump's job approval at about 31 percent among all U.S. adults, prompting some Republican candidates to distance themselves from the White House. Ramaswamy, by contrast, has continued to emphasize his ties to the president.
Trump's standing is also weak in Ohio. A Fox News survey of likely voters conducted October 15-19 found that 43 percent approved of his performance and 57 percent disapproved.
Democratic leads reshape the outlook
Cook Political Report cited a recent poll giving Acton a five-point advantage and changed its Ohio governor's race rating from "toss up" to "lean Democrat." Sabato's Crystal Ball also moved the contest into its "Leans Democratic" category.
Other polling shows a similar advantage. In late October, the Silver Bulletin average had Acton at 48.7 percent and Ramaswamy at 44 percent, a 4.7-point gap. An October Marist Poll found Acton leading 50 percent to 43 percent among likely voters and 53 percent to 34 percent among independents.
Sabato's Crystal Ball noted how unusual that position is for an Ohio Democrat: the party has won only one of the state's past nine gubernatorial elections. With its Ohio rating change, the forecaster favored Democrats in enough states to win 26 governorships. That would restore a Democratic majority of governorships for the first time since Republicans won one in the 2010 elections.
Brown also leads Republican Jon Husted in the Senate contest. The October 15-19 Fox News poll put Brown ahead 52 percent to 47 percent and found Husted's favorability at 42 percent favorable and 55 percent unfavorable, a net negative rating of 13 points. Trump has praised Husted's "beautiful" appearance. The RealClear Polling average gives Brown a 3.3-point lead.
