Vivek Ramaswamy, the squirrelly little billionaire running for governor of Ohio, is testing the theory that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Locked in a close race with Amy Acton, he released an attack ad featuring her estranged mother calling her a liar.
Explosive stuff, sure, but the mother’s background makes it even more explosive. Donna Arthur lost custody of her 12-year-old daughter after years of abuse and charges of sexual assault against the girl’s stepfather. Acton, now 60, has not spoken with her since, and her brother backed up her version of events. So do court records.
Ramaswamy, proving he’s a piece of filth with the political instincts of a dung beetle, says he will continue airing the ad despite the ensuing outrage. Even many Republicans say the ad makes Acton more sympathetic.
“The Mother We Share” was the debut single by the Scottish indietronica band Chvrches. It made the UK Top 40 in 2013.
