Trump’s MAGA Pick Hit With New Blow After Attack Ad Twist

Key Points:

• Ohio’s largest newspaper, The Plain Dealer, broke its recent non-endorsement policy to endorse Democrat Amy Acton for governor, condemning Vivek Ramaswamy’s attack ad targeting Acton’s traumatic childhood as crossing a moral line.
• The editorial board criticized Ramaswamy’s use of Acton’s estranged mother in the ad, which omitted the history of abuse Acton suffered, calling the tactic a disqualifying and vile attack.
• The ad controversy has sparked backlash within the Republican base, with some GOP supporters expressing reluctance to vote for Ramaswamy or Acton, fearing damage to other GOP candidates like Jon Husted.
• Ramaswamy’s campaign initially defended the ad but later edited it to remove the most controversial elements, while Acton received high-profile support from Barack Obama, who publicly denounced Ramaswamy’s tactics.
• The Plain Dealer praised Acton’s qualifications and readiness to lead, contrasting it with Ramaswamy’s refusal to clarify his policy positions amid the escalating campaign tensions.