Fastrack · Ohio Venues Cancel Ramaswamy Events Amid Backlash

Two Ohio venues canceled Republican events featuring gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy. The cancellations follow his ad featuring opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother.

Old Dog Ale House & Brewery in Delaware canceled a GOP event Friday.
Elliot's Wood Fired Kitchen in Newark declined to host a Tuesday event.
Several venues that hosted weekend GOP stops received waves of one-star Google reviews.
The Plain Dealer broke its no-endorsement policy to back Acton.

Why it matters: In the ad, Donna Arthur calls her daughter a liar about her childhood. Acton was removed from Arthur's custody in 1978 after her stepfather was indicted for raping her.

All five living Ohio governors, three Republicans and two Democrats, have condemned the ad, Acton said.
President Donald Trump called the ad very powerful and defended Ramaswamy.

The story so far

6 steps · since Oct 19

Oct 19
Oct 20Ramaswamy Ad Using Acton's Estranged Mother Draws Backlash81 sources
Oct 22Forecaster Moves Ohio Governor Race to Leans Democratic11 sources
Oct 23
Oct 265:09 AMRamaswamy Accuses Acton Campaign of Defaming Mother in Ad23 sources
Oct 267:47 AMOhio Venues Cancel Ramaswamy Events Amid BacklashYou are hereLatest

How 12 sources split on this story

Source landscape

Factuality

High

Mixed

Low

Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right

Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 12 sources

12 sources · 13 articles · 42% Left coverage

Where they split: The dispute is whether the ad legitimately challenges Acton's account of her past or exploits her childhood sexual abuse.

Center3 sources

Chicago Tribune1w+Clarence Page: Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad in Ohio governor’s race backfires Newsweek1w+Ohio venues cancel Vivek Ramaswamy events as backlash grows PolitiFact1w+Would Acton’s plans double Ohio income taxes?

Left coverage, 5 sources: The left sees the ad as exploiting a survivor's abuse, with Ramaswamy's campaign faltering as allies and venues walk away.

The Independent1w+Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio gov bid in chaos as allies and venues drop him over Acton attack ad MSNBC1w+‘Decency is on the ballot’: Acton slams Ramaswamy’s ad featuring her estranged mother Political Wire1w+Ohio Venues Keep Cancelling On Vivek Ramaswamy Raw Story1w+GOP candidate turned away from venues as onslaught of one-star reviews follows campaign The New Republic1w+Ohio Venues Keep Cancelling on Vivek Ramasamy After That Campaign Ad

Right coverage, 4 sources: The right reports the venue cancellations and online backlash as a developing campaign story, noting Ramaswamy's defense of the ad.

Daily Mail1w+Jittery venues nuke Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign tour as backlash swells over estranged mom ad Newsmax1w+Acton's COVID Past as 'Dr. Lockdown' Shadows Ohio Race The Daily Wire1w+Vivek Defends Ad Featuring Rival’s Mother, Says She Made The First Move Washington Examiner1w+Amy Acton's COVID record hangs over Ohio governor's race

What’s next: The Ohio Republican Party plans to reschedule both canceled appearances.

Acton is framing the final stretch around what she calls decency, urging voters to push back.
Will the backlash shift a race polls show as close?
Will Ramaswamy's campaign pull or keep running the ad?