Backlash from attack ad upends Ohio gubernatorial race

NPR | By George Shillcock,

Leila Fadel

Published October 22, 2026 at 4:57 AM EDT

An ad from Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's {vih-vaik rah-mah-SWOM-eez} campaign for governor shows his opponent's mother calling her a liar, amid accounts by Democrat Amy Acton of an abusive childhood.

George Shillcock

Leila Fadel

Leila Fadel is a host of Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.

See stories by Leila Fadel

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