Washington, October 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former US President Barack Obama criticised Indian-American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy during his first rally of the midterm campaign in Ohio, describing the gubernatorial candidate as “thirsty” for attention and condemning a campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, Amy Acton.
Speaking at a rally in Cleveland on Saturday, Obama accused Ramaswamy of crossing ethical boundaries to attract attention.
“We all know that guy — who is, like, thirsty. Just wants to get attention no matter what, willing to do anything. And in recent days we’ve seen there is no line he won’t cross,” Obama said.
“I don’t know what’s happened where the standards of behaviour have gotten so low that somebody can run an ad like that,” he added.
Obama addressed supporters at the Cleveland Public Auditorium to campaign for Acton and former US Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to reclaim his former Senate seat. Much of Obama’s 35-minute speech was devoted to criticising President Donald Trump.
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Acton also condemned the advertisement, accusing her opponent of using her childhood experiences for political gain.
“My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his struggling campaign, but it’s not going to work,” she said.
The Ramaswamy campaign defended its position through spokesperson Connie Luck, who criticised Acton for appearing alongside Obama.
“Ohioans can’t afford a liberal governor who shows up for Obama but never shows up for them,” Luck said.
The controversy emerged as Ramaswamy’s campaign shifted to a shorter, 30-second version of the advertisement, according to a person close to the campaign cited by NBC News. The revised version removes a disputed claim by Acton’s mother that her daughter had never lived in a tent as a child.
In the advertisement, Donna Arthur describes Acton as a “liar”. Acton has said she has neither seen nor spoken to her mother in nearly 50 years. She was removed from Arthur’s custody in 1978 after her then-stepfather was charged with rape.
The advertisement has also generated financial support for Acton. According to Al Jazeera, she received a $500,000 donation from MK Pritzker, the wife of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
The controversy has exposed differences among Republicans over the advertisement. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who has endorsed Ramaswamy, described it as “deeply, deeply troubling”. Vice President JD Vance, meanwhile, urged Republicans to “stop whining”, while Trump called the advertisement “very powerful”.
The political fallout has also affected assessments of the race. The Cook Political Report shifted the contest from a toss-up to “Lean Democratic” on Friday, citing the controversy. Sabato’s Crystal Ball has also rated the race “Lean Democratic”.
Ramaswamy, 41, is a biotech entrepreneur who was born and raised in Ohio and is running with Trump’s endorsement. Acton, 60, is a physician who led Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic while serving as the state’s health director.
Trump is scheduled to return to Ohio next week for an event in Chillicothe. If Acton wins, she would become Ohio’s first Democratic governor in 20 years.
The election is scheduled for November 3.
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