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Ramaswamy Campaign Spends $4 Million on Acton Ad

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy aired an Ohio TV ad featuring Dr. Amy Acton’s estranged mother accusing Acton of lying.
Ramaswamy’s campaign said the ad responded to Acton’s claim he falsified data for his Alzheimer’s drug.
The campaign confirmed spending $4 million on the advertisement.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine urged removal of the ad, while President Donald Trump defended it as “fake news” criticism.

History

In the 2004 presidential race, the 527 group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth aired TV ads questioning John Kerry’s Vietnam record, spending about $9.45 million and coining the term “swiftboating” for false personal attacks. The tactic resurfaced in Ohio’s 2024 contest, where Republican Vivek Ramaswamy bought a $4 million TV spot targeting Dr. Amy Acton’s family, echoing the earlier high-cost smear strategy.

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In the 2004 presidential race, the 527 group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth aired TV ads questioning John Kerry’s Vietnam record, spending about $9.45 million and coining the term “swiftboating” for false personal attacks. The tactic resurfaced in Ohio’s 2024 contest, where Republican Vivek Ramaswamy bought a $4 million TV spot targeting Dr. Amy Acton’s family, echoing the earlier high-cost smear strategy.

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