OHGov

Columbus, Ohio- Earlier this week at a campaign event, Vivek Ramaswamy hit a new low in his desperate campaign when he minimized the sexual abuse his opponent Dr. Amy Acton survived as a child. Ramaswamy said Acton can only “complain about what someone else did to her.” 

What they’re saying in the press:

WVXU: Analysis: Ramaswamy seems to criticize Acton for being a victim of child sex abuse

• Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, has had to walk back or try to explain away any number of controversial positions that would likely have not sat well with Ohio voters. It’s a pretty long list.
• On and on it goes. It is as if he had one of those Etch A Sketch toys we had as kids. Draw a picture on the screen and when you want it to go away, you just pick it up and shake it — or in his case, delete the post.
• “He would seem to be all hat and no cattle, but the hat keeps slipping off his head,” said David Niven, professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati. “You would think that if you are going to tie yourself to controversial issues, you would at least make them issues that are popular,” Niven said.
• But this time, Ramaswamy has talked himself into a mess he can’t erase. He went after the Democratic candidate for governor, former Ohio Health Department director Amy Acton, for being the victim of sexual abuse as child growing up in Youngstown.
• Neither Ramaswamy nor his campaign staff responded to WVXU’s request for comment.

TiffinOhio.net: Vivek Ramaswamy mocks Amy Acton for being a childhood sex abuse survivor

• Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy posted a video to his X account on Tuesday in which he dismissed Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton as having no vision “other than complain about what someone else did to her.” 
• The Acton campaign’s statement pointed to what it called a consistent pattern of Ramaswamy ignoring sexual abuse. The campaign noted that Ramaswamy refused for months to call for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, accepted $100,000 from an Epstein associate accused of having sex with underage girls and never returned the money, and promoted the endorsement of state Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), who was accused of climbing into bed with a minor female relative while erect and wearing only his underwear, according to Bureau of Criminal Investigation documents.
• Ramaswamy’s campaign quietly removed Creech from its endorsements page earlier this month after TiffinOhio.net reported on the allegations. Creech’s name had appeared on the page for more than a year.

Columbus Dispatch: Ohio governor race between Ramaswamy, Acton turns ugly

• Republican Vivek Ramaswamy said Democrat Amy Acton has no vision for the state “other than to complain about what someone else did to her.” Ramaswamy posted the remark to his X account on April 14.

The Nerd Stash: Ohio Disgusted by Ramaswamy’s Attack on Amy Acton’s Childhood Abuse: ‘This Should End a Campaign’ 

• Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is facing intense backlash across Ohio after posting a video that critics say mocks Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton’s history as a childhood sexual abuse survivor.
• In the clip, Ramaswamy claimed Acton offers no real vision for the state “other than to complain about what someone else did to her.” The remark came just one day after Acton’s campaign condemned Ramaswamy’s allies for resurfacing and weaponizing her documented history of abuse.

WGTC: Vivek Ramaswamy slams Democratic opponent for going public about being sexually abused as child, ‘one of the most disgusting attacks I’ve ever seen’

• Vivek Ramaswamy has ambitions of being the next Governor of Ohio, and if this clip is any indication, he’s willing to stoop to unimaginable levels to get the job. Ramaswamy’s opponent is Democrat Dr. Amy Acton, the former Ohio Health Director, and the Nov. 3 election is shaping up to be a closely run race.
• In interviews, Acton has said that one of her motivations for public service is surviving childhood sexual abuse, explaining that overcoming this and focusing on helping other victims is an important part of her personal journey. But for Ramaswamy, it’s apparently a reason to attack her. 
• As you might imagine, the reaction from regular people is a combination of horror and anger.

What they’re saying online: 

@HQNewsNow: Ohio Gov. candidate Vivek Ramaswamy claims that his opponent Amy Acton is running on “complaining about what someone else did to her,” referring to Acton sharing the story of sexual abuse as a child.

@MikeNellis: Vivek Ramaswamy mocking his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, for being sexually abused as a child is one of the most disgusting attacks I’ve ever seen from a politician. 

@HeartlandSignal: Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says Democrat Dr. Amy Acton’s campaign is about “complaining about what someone else did to her.” Acton survived sexual abuse as a child. 

@Couriernewsroom: Dr. Amy Acton (D-OH) has been open about experiencing SA as a child.Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH) has refused to call for the release of the Epstein files for months, took $100,000 from an Epstein associate accused of having sex with underage girls and never gave it back, and touts the endorsement of a state rep accused of sexually abusing a minor.

@Nowthisimpact: No one should ever have to deal with someone talking about their trauma so callously. And yet, there are Republicans like Ramaswamy.

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Columbus, Ohio– In a new interview with The New York Times, billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy called affordability a “buzzword” after he previously said the “perceived” rising cost of living was only in Ohioans’ imaginations. 

While costs skyrocket for working families, Vivek Ramaswamy is richer than ever, telling Ohioans costs aren’t really going up, and calling them lazy. He said Medicaid and Medicare were mistakes and workers who are struggling should simply earn more money. One thing is clear: as Vivek Ramaswamy flies private 30,000 feet above Ohio, he has no clue what is happening on the ground.

“Vivek Ramaswamy’s message to Ohio families who are struggling is that costs aren’t actually rising and their concerns are nothing more than a ‘buzzword,’” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “If Ramaswamy ever hopped off his private jet, he’d know working families are struggling. He’d also learn pretty quickly that Ohioans don’t like him and see him for what he is: a con man who would raise their costs while making himself richer.” 

Here’s what Ramaswamy says is just a buzzword:

• Cleveland.com: Ohio consumers’ electric bills likely to jump again as demand outstrips supply of power

• Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio cities rank among the most medically expensive, analysis finds

• WTOL: Toledoans pinch pennies as grocery costs outstrip income growth

• Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio’s economic future is hazy, but a recession might be looming, Fed survey indicates

• Columbus Dispatch: Cost of childcare in Ohio is skyrocketing. What can be done about it?

• NBC4: Ohio ranks among states with worst economies, study says

• Ohio Capital Journal: Cleveland Fed: Businesses report increasing prices, declining activity

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Columbus, Ohio- Late last week, reporting revealed how Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign was actively touting an endorsement from one Republican lawmaker under investigation for being a sexual predator and another who spoke extensively about talking to “young girls” about sex. Today, new reporting shows that over the weekend his campaign scrubbed the endorsements of State Representatives Rodney Creech and Gary Click from the website in a desperate attempt to try to obscure his close ties to them.  

Today’s reporting comes after Ramaswamy has drawn backlash for refusing to call for the release of the Epstein files after promising to do so during his failed presidential campaign. 

He also has yet to explain why his super PAC accepted $100,000 from Epstein co-conspirator Glenn Dubin, then failed to return the money despite pledging to do so.

“After backing down from his call to release the Epstein files and breaking his promise to return a six-figure contribution from a known Epstein associate, Vivek Ramaswamy is scrambling to hide his ties to two more notorious accused sexual predators,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “If Ramaswamy can’t stand up to accused sexual predators in his own party, how can we trust him to stand up for Ohioans?”

READ: Ramaswamy quietly removes Gary Click and Rodney Creech from endorsements page

• Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign for Ohio governor has quietly removed two state lawmakers from its official endorsements page — including one who was investigated for alleged sexual misconduct with a minor — days after TiffinOhio.net reported that the campaign was actively promoting their support.

• State Reps. Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) no longer appear on the endorsements page at vivekforohio.com. As of April 13, neither name is listed among the dozens of Ohio legislators featured on the page.

• The April 11 snapshot was captured two days after TiffinOhio.net published a report detailing how the Ramaswamy campaign was promoting the endorsement of Creech, who was accused in 2023 of climbing into bed with a minor female relative while erect and wearing only his underwear, according to Bureau of Criminal Investigation documents obtained by the Statehouse News Bureau. 

• Ramaswamy also promoted the endorsement of Click, who made headlines earlier this month after resurfaced video showed Click reminiscing about talking to “young girls” about “how painful” it is for them to engage in sex, during testimony for his anti-trans legislation, House Bill 68.

• The Ramaswamy campaign made no public announcement about removing either name. The campaign did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication of the April 9 article and has not publicly addressed the endorsement removals.

See Also: WVXU: Vivek Ramaswamy goes silent on past demands to release Epstein files, Vivek Ramaswamy Runs from Reporters Amid Questions About His Stance on Release of Epstein Files,Vivek Ramaswamy Breaks Nearly Two Years of Silence to Lie About Epstein Files, REMINDER: Vivek Ramaswamy Super PAC Never Returned $100K from Epstein Associate 

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Columbus, Ohio-  After months of flying around Ohio on his private jet, Vivek Ramaswamy finally made a trip to the shores of Lake Erie and discovered the “hidden gem” that is larger than the state of New Jersey. Ramaswamy has clearly been spending too much time in backrooms with fellow Columbus billionaires, and it’s about time he finally discovered Ohio’s coastal counties exist.

Ramaswamy didn’t just discover that Ohio is home to sandy beaches and some of the world’s best roller coasters. He also learned about a $3 billion tourism economy that supports more than 130,000 jobs for Ohioans. 

“It’s no Puerto Rico with the Paul brothers, but Ohio is home to the best beaches in the midwest. Ramaswamy has clearly been spending too much time in backrooms with fellow billionaires calling Medicaid and Medicare a mistake, but it’s about time he finally discovered Ohio’s coastal counties,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Turns out there’s a lot that Ramaswamy missed while on his private jet. Maybe next he’ll take a trip to Dayton and learn about how Ohio was first in flight!” 

What They’re Saying: 

• Calling Lake Erie and its economy “hidden” is quite the tell. 4/8/2026

• Amy’s in Cleveland Heights! Standing room only! Oh. She got you on Lake Erie. Vivek? Not so much. 4/7/2026

• Nothing ‘hidden’ about our billions $$ economy. Home to great cities, great industries and great sport fishing. 11 million get their drinking water from our Great Lake. Spend some time up here. I’ll take you walleye fishing. We can eat a terrific sandwich with @TwinOast beer.  4/8/2026

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Columbus, Ohio- The Tribune Chronicle editorial board called out Vivek Ramaswamy for his unpopular plan to consolidate Ohio’s colleges and universities and his claims that Ohioans are falling behind after more than a decade of Republican control in the statehouse. 

“Vivek Ramaswamy says Ohioans are falling behind, but completely ignores that his political allies, including his running mate, have had total control of Ohio’s government for well over a decade — using their power to put corporations and the ultrarich first and leaving Ohio families with a massive affordability crisis. Now even Governor DeWine says Ramaswamy’s plan to consolidate Ohio’s iconic colleges and universities is a bad idea,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Ohioans are ready for change, not a billionaire who calls us lazy, says Medicaid and Medicare were a mistake, and cooks up toxic new policy proposals from his private jet.”

READ MORE: Is Ramaswamy digging himself a hole in Ohio? 

• Vivek Ramaswamy wants to be Ohio’s governor, but he’s finding that Ohio’s reliably red reputation isn’t giving the Republican much of a bump just yet. In fact, Youngstown native Amy Acton — who once led the Ohio Department of Health under current Gov. Mike DeWine — had a slight edge over Ramaswamy in a recent poll.

• Ramaswamy has jumped on the affordability bandwagon with a commercial featuring his wife Apoorva, who talks of her husband’s plans to ensure that every Ohioan has a fair shot at a better life. But the ad appeared around the same time that Vivek Ramaswamy made comments about how Ohio has too many colleges and universities and could benefit from consolidation.

• Acton and fellow Democrats saw an opportunity after Ramaswamy’s comments and a follow-up op-ed didn’t exactly roll back what he’d said about the state’s colleges and universities.

• On Monday, DeWine made clear where he stands. “I’m not in favor of consolidating our colleges or doing away with any of our 14 public universities,” DeWine said. “It’s important to have them all over the state so frankly, people who can’t afford to live at the college and pay room and board, they can commute. We still have commuters.”

• Even if we give Ramaswamy the benefit of the doubt and presume he was not talking about shutting down some colleges and instead just consolidating leadership positions in an effort to save money, the damage was likely done. Think about how many of us here in the Mahoning Valley either benefited from studies at Youngstown State University or have family and friends who did. Now — if you can imagine it — think of this region without YSU.

• Now think about every part of Ohio and the colleges and universities that enrich thousands of lives across the state and you understand why Ramaswamy has some damage control to do.

• In the commercial, Apoorva Ramaswamy spoke of her husband’s commitment to helping Ohio families, who she said “are working hard, but falling behind.” When you consider how long Ohio has been under virtually exclusive GOP control in Columbus, you wonder if that message is another that won’t land well across the state.

• It seems as though just over a year into his campaign, Vivek Ramaswamy is dealing with two factors he hadn’t planned for — Trump fatigue and some self-inflicted wounds. It’s still early, but Ohio’s presumptive GOP gubernatorial candidate needs to regain his footing.

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