Vivek Ramaswamy is taking responsibility for a controversial attack ad featuring his Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother, as the $4 million campaign push sparks a backlash within his own party.

The extraordinary ad features Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of lying about their family history and disputing her account of growing up in poverty and sometimes living in a tent.

Arthur ends by urging voters not to elect Acton governor.

Ramaswamy confirmed the ad was produced by his campaign when he faced questions from reporters on Tuesday, doubling down on the decision to air it despite criticism from fellow conservatives.

‘It is an ad from our campaign. And the thing that I want to say is that I would love for this race, in this election, to be about the substantive issues that impact Ohioans,’ Ramaswamy said.

‘And unfortunately, Amy Acton has been hiding from those issues.’

Ramaswamy was heckled at a campaign event that same evening by an attendee who shouted about the controversial ad. The protester was ultimately escorted out by police.

Ramaswamy’s campaign says Arthur was not paid to appear in the ad, which began circulating online on Monday, October 19.

Vivek Ramaswamy was heckled by a rally attendee on Tuesday evening, who was ultimately kicked out for shouting about his ad attack against opponent Amy Acton

The controversial ad touches on deeply personal experiences Acton has spoken about publicly, including being sexually abused as a child by her stepfather. Acton has been estranged from her mother since she was 12 years old

Speaking in the Cincinnati area on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the conversation around the ad.

‘I’ll be honest with ya, whether the ad was appropriate or not is not really my concern,’ Vance said.

He said his priority was winning elections and deciding who would govern the country.

Vance then said he was ‘a little bit disgusted’ by Republicans who were criticizing the commercial rather than focusing on Democrats’ policies.

The campaign says the spot tested well with persuadable voters, prompting a planned $4 million advertising push across television and streaming platforms. 

But critics have accused Ramaswamy of exploiting Acton’s traumatic childhood for political gain.

The controversy touches on deeply personal experiences Acton has spoken about publicly, including being sexually abused as a child by her stepfather.

Court records cited by the Associated Press show the man was charged and indicted in 1978 for raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter.

He pleaded not guilty, failed to appear in court and was later declared a fugitive.

Acton’s team issued a statement from her brother condemning the attacks from their mother

Donald Trump Jr, shared the video and urged Ohioans to watch it. ‘Yikes! Ohio watch this and think about what it means,’ he wrote on X

CNN commentator and GOP strategist Scott Jennings called the ad ‘extremely risky,’ warning that the campaign may have underestimated the backlash it would provoke

Acton and her brother were ultimately removed from their mother’s custody.

Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, has defended her account of their childhood and released an attack ad of his own condemning Ramaswamy’s decision to use the family’s history in the campaign.

‘Shame on Vivek. The contempt he has for Amy is the contempt he has for Ohio. He’s not fit to lead,’ Stearns said.

Acton also denounced Ramaswamy’s ad after it aired, saying she had not seen her mother since childhood.

‘The words our leaders use matter, and I think it’s going to take courage right now from all of us to stop normalizing this sort of rhetoric,’ she told Spectrum News Ohio.

The backlash has spread beyond Acton’s family, exposing divisions among Republicans over whether the ad will help or hurt Ramaswamy in the final stretch of the campaign.

CNN commentator and GOP strategist Scott Jennings called the ad ‘extremely risky,’ warning that the campaign may have underestimated the backlash it would provoke.

Casey Putsch, who ran against Ramaswamy in the Republican gubernatorial primary, said he would vote for Acton after seeing the video.

Republican strategist and former adviser to President Trump, David Urban warned on CNN that the attack could backfire. 

Conservative commentator Mary Katharine Ham questioned whether featuring an estranged mother attacking her daughter would persuade voters.

Donald Trump Jr, however, shared the video and urged Ohioans to watch it.

‘Yikes! Ohio watch this and think about what it means,’ he wrote on X.

Ramaswamy’s campaign initially did not confirm responsibility.

A mid-October Marist poll cited by Axios put Acton ahead of Ramaswamy by 50 per cent to 43 per cent among likely voters. 

More than 676,000 Ohioans had already cast ballots by Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

The Daily Mail reached out to Ramaswamy and Acton’s campaigns for comment.