Trump Heads to Chillicothe as Acton Ad Draws Criticism

President Donald Trump plans a Wednesday rally in Chillicothe, days before voters decide races for Ohio governor and U.S. Senate.

The stop arrives as Republican gubernational candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign defends an advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his opponent, Democrat Dr. Amy Acton. In the video, Acton's mother calls her daughter a liar. Critics have noted the commercial leaves out the circumstances of Acton's childhood: she and her brother were taken from their mother's custody after her stepfather was charged with sexually abusing her.

Acton has called the ad an attempt to change the subject. "My opponent has chosen to exploit my childhood to save his struggling campaign, but it's not going to work," she said at a recent campaign event. Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the commercial, including Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Ramaswamy has stood by the ad, saying voters should weigh the allegations themselves, and Trump has defended it repeatedly. "The mother said terrible things," Trump said. "Anybody seeing that would say, no way I'm voting for her."

The Chillicothe rally also falls on the Senate ballot, where Republican Sen. Jon Husted faces Democrat Sherrod Brown. Brown is running to reclaim the seat he lost in 2024 to Sen. Bernie Moreno, who carried Trump's endorsement.

Polls have shown Democrats gaining ground in Ohio in recent weeks. Trump carried the state in 2024, and the president has campaigned for Republican candidates there this cycle.