Family-focused attack ads stir backlash in midterm races
The newsletter examines midterm ads that target candidates through their relatives. In Ohio’s governor race, a Vivek Ramaswamy spot featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother drew condemnation from Gov. Mike DeWine but support from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Similar family-related attacks appeared in a Maine Senate race and other contests.
The Ohio spot showcases Amy Acton’s mother criticizing her daughter and telling voters to oppose her. It omits that Acton is long estranged from her mother; the newsletter says her stepfather faced a rape charge when Acton was 12, was indicted, and fled before trial. Acton has discussed the abuse publicly.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who backs Ramaswamy, called the ad wrong. Vice President JD Vance criticized Republicans who condemned it, while President Donald Trump praised the spot and advised keeping it up. Elsewhere, a Maine Senate super PAC ad mocked Democrat Troy Jackson’s family, prompting Republican Sen. Susan Collins to seek its removal.
Such tactics could deepen public distrust in campaigns and discourage family members from supporting candidates, while voters may grow numb to increasingly personal appeals. The Ohio ad may particularly affect survivors of abuse and their relatives, who could see private trauma used as political ammunition. Because prominent figures are divided over the spot, it may also intensify debates about where parties draw lines on family attacks, shaping how campaigns and media cover similar ads later in the cycle.