Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday he was "a little bit disgusted" by GOP criticism of Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial campaign advertisement targeting Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, as he urged members of his party to focus on winning the election instead. "Whether the ad was appropriate or not is not really my concern," Vance told reporters while visiting an FBI field office, "What is my concern is who's going to govern the next generation of American government?" "I have to admit that I'm a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America," he added. The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton's estranged mother, accusing her daughter of lying about her background and urging voters not to elect her governor.
The advertisement has sparked criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike. Conservative commentator Meghan McCain called it "dastardly," while Ohio development director Lydia Mihalik said there were lines in politics that should not be crossed. Former Senator Sherrod Brown, the Democratic candidate in Ohio's U.S.
Senate race, also condemned the video. Ramaswamy acknowledged Tuesday that the advertisement came from his campaign, arguing that Acton's record and statements deserved scrutiny. Vance, however, said Republicans should concentrate on defeating Acton and supporting Republican Senate candidate Jon Husted, who is running against Brown.
"Politics is a tough business," Vance said, citing attacks against himself, Ramaswamy and President Donald Trump's family. His message to Republican officials was blunt: "Stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days." The remarks come as Ramaswamy faces mounting scrutiny in a closely watched Ohio governor's race. Several recent polls have shown Acton leading, although other surveys have indicated a tighter contest ahead of Election Day.
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