Democrat Amy Acton Wins Ohio Governorship, Defeating Ramaswamy

Democrat Amy Acton has defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to win the Ohio governorship, according to projections by CBS News.

With the victory, Acton becomes the first Democrat and the first woman to win the Ohio governor's race in two decades.

Ohio has long been a key battleground state. It voted for Republican Donald Trump in the last three presidential elections, including by 11 points in 2024.

Voter frustration over the economy and the cost of living was the central theme of the gubernatorial race. The contest, however, heated up in its final weeks over a deeply personal attack advertisement released by the Ramaswamy campaign.

In the advertisement, Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, said her daughter had lied her entire life. The advertisement did not mention that Arthur's husband was charged with raping Acton when she was a child.

The controversial advertisement was criticised by former South Carolina governor Republican Nikki Haley. Ohio's current Republican governor, Mike DeWine, called it deeply troubling.

President Trump, by contrast, described the advertisement as powerful and encouraged Ramaswamy to keep it running. Vice-President Vance, the state's former senator, said Republicans should stop complaining about the advertisement and that he was a little disgusted by criticism from members of his own party.

Ramaswamy said his campaign would spend $4m to air the advertisement across the state. After it began airing, the editorial board of the local Ohio outlet the Columbus Dispatch endorsed Acton, describing the advertisement as revolting and unsettling.

The billionaire biotech entrepreneur ran against Trump for the Republican nomination in 2024. He then switched to the Ohio governor's race and pitched himself as a political outsider, like Trump, who wanted to develop the president's America First agenda.

In his concession speech, Ramaswamy said he was rooting for the state, as well as for Acton.

Acton is a physician and public health official who talked about her experience with homelessness as a child while campaigning for affordability.

In her acceptance speech on Tuesday, she said the healing begins today. She promised Ohio that she would work with anyone and everyone, whether they voted for her or not, to make life better for Ohioans.

Acton succeeds Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who is term limited.