Amy Acton let Vivek Ramaswamy’s concession call go to voicemail after repulsive attack ad featuring her estranged mother

Democrat Amy Acton declined to answer a phone call from Republican Vivek Ramaswamy when he reached out to concede the Ohio gubernatorial race, following a contentious campaign marked by an aggressive political advertisement involving her estranged mother.Ramaswamy confirmed the unanswered call during his election night address to supporters, as reported by Newsweek.“We left her a message,” Ramaswamy said. “It’s a tough night for us here in Ohio.”The victory makes the 60-year-old physician the first woman elected governor of Ohio, ending 16 years of Republican leadership in the state. Acton is the first Democrat to win the governor's office since Ted Strickland was elected in 2006, halting a rightward shift in a state that voted for Donald Trump in three consecutive presidential elections.The contest escalated last month when Ramaswamy ran a $4 million campaign advertisement featuring Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, who called her daughter a liar regarding her upbringing. Arthur lost custody of Acton following the indictment of Acton’s stepfather for allegedly raping Acton when she was 12 years old.Following a bitter race that featured a commercial targeting her childhood, Democrat Amy Acton reportedly let a concession call from Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy go to voicemail as election results came in (Getty)The ad faced widespread bipartisan criticism. Outgoing Republican Gov. Mike DeWine described the ad as “deeply, deeply troubling” and requested its removal, though he maintained his endorsement of Ramaswamy. Trump and Vice President JD Vance initially supported the campaign effort before it was discontinued.Acton addressed the controversial ad directly during an October 24 campaign rally in Cleveland with former President Barack Obama.“My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his struggling campaign, but it’s not going to work,” Acton told the crowd.Speaking at another campaign event in northwest Ohio after the commercial aired, Acton described the situation as the “big elephant in the room.”“The reason I talk about my childhood when I do is just one: I started to realize it might give other people hope that you can, you know, get out of your circumstances,” she said.Ramaswamy ran a $4 million campaign advertisement last month featuring Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, who called her daughter a liar regarding her upbringing. Arthur lost custody of Acton following the indictment of Acton’s stepfather for allegedly raping Acton when she was 12 years old (Getty)During her victory speech on Tuesday, Acton reflected on her personal history before stepping into the role of governor, where she previously served as health director under DeWine during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.“I know what it’s like when people look the other way when you’re struggling,” Acton said. “As a child, I experienced abuse and neglect. And I could have never imagined going from homeless to being a doctor. Let alone that I would be standing here, the next Governor of Ohio.”Walking out to the song “You’ve Got the Love” by Florence and the Machine, Acton framed the election results as a turning point for state politics.“Ohio has chosen unity and decency over division and hate; the healing begins today,” she told supporters.“I’m so incredibly honored that I have earned the trust of Ohioans to be the next governor of Ohio,” she said. “It has meant the world to me and my family. This entire campaign has been a movement by and for the people; this win is for every Ohioan who has longed for public servants again, who solve problems instead of making them and do not mistake kindness for weakness.”Reflecting on her journey to becoming the first woman elected governor of Ohio, Acton promised to serve ‘for every Ohioan who has longed for public servants again’ (Getty)Acton pledged to govern across party lines despite the hostility of the campaign, which featured no face-to-face debates between the candidates.“We must never give up on one another,” Acton said. “I wanna make something very clear to the people of Ohio. I will be a governor for all Ohioans. I am in this fight for all of us.”She added: “To those who voted for me, and those who did not, I will work with anyone and everyone.”In his concession speech, Ramaswamy offered support for the incoming administration.“I wish her well to lead this state to hopefully greater heights in the future,” Ramaswamy said, calling it a “tough race” that was “bitter at times in both directions.”“I have hope and confidence that she will do what is required to bring Ohio together,” Ramaswamy said. "We are rooting for the success of this state; we’re rooting for your success, and that means all of us in this room should be rooting for the success of her administration, and we’re hopeful for Ohio to achieve great things regardless of what happened tonight in this election.” Despite a hostile campaign with no debates, Ramaswamy acknowledged a ‘tough night’ and expressed confidence that Acton would bring the state together following the election outcome (Getty)According to figures from the Associated Press with 95 percent of the vote counted, Acton secured 51.9 percent of the vote compared to Ramaswamy’s 44.8 percent. Donald Kissick of the Libertarian Party received 3.3 percent. Earlier tallies at 81 percent counted showed Acton leading with 50.7 percent to Ramaswamy's 46 percent when the former Republican presidential candidate conceded.The result coincided with broader Democratic gains in the midterm elections, in which the party secured control of both chambers of Congress after flipping U.S. Senate seats in Texas, Kansas, North Carolina and South Carolina.Acton succeeds DeWine in leading a state currently navigating policy decisions regarding the economy and the expansion of AI data centers. Former Lieutenant Governor Nancy Hollister previously served as Ohio's governor for 11 days in 1999 following George Voinovich’s transition to the Senate, making Acton the first woman elected to serve a full term in the office. The Independent has contacted both campaigns for comment.