Republicans are increasingly divided over Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign for Ohio governor after an attack ad targeting his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, drew criticism from prominent members of his own party, including former presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
Haley, who clashed with Ramaswamy during the 2024 Republican presidential primary, renewed her criticism of the Indian American politician after his campaign released an advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother. The controversy has exposed disagreements within the GOP over Ramaswamy’s campaign tactics, with some Republicans condemning the ad while President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended him.
“Not laughing. Just seeing what we tried to tell everyone back then. He’s a bad guy. It’s a shame he continues to get away with it,” Haley wrote on X on Tuesday. The post has received 1.5 million views.
The former South Carolina governor’s remarks revived a feud that began during the 2024 Republican presidential race, when the two candidates exchanged personal attacks on the debate stage. Their latest clash comes as Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, faces criticism over an advertisement that has put his party’s internal divisions in the spotlight.
The 60-second ad features Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged mother, accusing her daughter of lying about her childhood, including her account of experiencing homelessness. Arthur urges voters not to elect Acton, a former director of the Ohio Department of Health, as governor.
READ: Vivek Ramaswamy defends explosive ad featuring Ohio rival Amy Acton’s estranged mother (October 22, 2026)
Acton has spoken publicly about childhood abuse and periods of homelessness. Her stepfather was charged with raping her when she was 12, and her mother remained married to him until his death. Acton has said she has not had contact with her mother since she was a child.
The advertisement began circulating online late Monday. Ramaswamy’s campaign subsequently acknowledged producing it and announced plans to spend $4 million airing it on television and online, despite the growing criticism.
The backlash has extended beyond Ramaswamy’s political opponents. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who endorsed Ramaswamy to succeed him, called the advertisement wrong and urged the campaign to take it down. DeWine said his criticism of the ad did not mean he was withdrawing his endorsement of Ramaswamy.
Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who is running for election to the Senate seat he was appointed to fill, also distanced himself from the campaign’s approach, saying he would not have run the advertisement. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose similarly indicated that he would not have used such an ad and said his office was reviewing complaints about it.
Other Republicans have questioned whether the advertisement crosses a line in political campaigning. Their objections have created an unusual split within the party, with several prominent figures criticizing a candidate who has received backing from Trump and the Ohio Republican Party.
Vance, however, has pushed back against Republicans condemning the advertisement. Speaking at a campaign event in Ohio, the vice president accused his fellow Republicans of focusing too much on the controversy instead of the broader political contest. He argued that Democrats had also used aggressive tactics against Ramaswamy.
Trump has likewise defended the candidate and encouraged him to continue airing the ad, adding to the divide between Republicans who view the spot as a legitimate campaign attack and those who believe it goes too far.
READ: Vivek Ramaswamy leads a new era of wealthy Indian Americans (September 21, 2026)
The controversy has also brought renewed attention to Ramaswamy’s earlier confrontations with Haley. During a November 2023 Republican presidential debate, Ramaswamy criticized Haley over her daughter’s use of TikTok. Haley responded by telling him to leave her daughter out of the argument and calling him “scum.”
Haley’s latest remarks suggest that the dispute was not limited to their presidential rivalry. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has continued to criticize Ramaswamy, and the Ohio advertisement has given her another opportunity to challenge his approach to politics.
The episode also reflects a broader tension within the Republican Party over how aggressively candidates should attack their opponents, particularly when campaigns draw on deeply personal family histories. While Trump and Vance have stood by Ramaswamy, criticism from DeWine, Husted, LaRose and Haley shows that support for his candidacy does not necessarily translate into approval of his campaign tactics.
The criticism of Ramaswamy also comes against the backdrop of anti-immigrant rhetoric from some far-right and fringe Republican figures, who have used the derogatory term “anchor baby” to question his legitimacy as a political figure because he was born in the United States to Indian immigrant parents. The label reflects a broader debate within conservative circles over immigration and American identity, even as Ramaswamy has built his political career within the Republican Party and secured Trump’s endorsement.
For Ramaswamy, the challenge is to contain the political fallout while keeping the focus on his bid for Ohio’s governorship. The controversy has placed his campaign under scrutiny from within his own party, raising questions about whether the advertisement will help him mobilize voters or alienate Republicans who believe the campaign has crossed a line.