Vance rebukes Republican critics of Ramaswamy campaign ad

According to PBS NewsHour, Vance made the remarks in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he said whether the controversial spot was appropriate was “not really my concern.” The report said he described his focus as supporting Republican candidates in their midterm races.

The advertisement is a 60-second campaign spot for Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor of Ohio. It features the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, identified in the supplied reporting as Acton.

BBC World reports that Acton has not seen her mother since Acton’s stepfather was charged with sexual abuse during Acton’s childhood. The supplied material does not establish the exact allegations made in the advertisement beyond its use of Acton’s estranged mother and this family background.

According to Forbes Business, Ramaswamy’s campaign said it would spend $4 million to air the advertisement ahead of the following month’s election. The available material does not identify which Republicans criticized the ad or how many objected, leaving the scope of the internal party dispute unclear.

Vance’s comments put a national Republican figure behind Ramaswamy in a dispute over campaign messaging, while the supplied reports describe Republican objections to the advertisement without naming the critics. The sources also identify the rival only as Acton and do not provide a first name.