Washington, October 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian-American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is trailing Democratic rival Amy Acton in two new polls of Ohio’s gubernatorial race, with both surveys indicating that his campaign’s controversial advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother has failed to improve his standing among voters.
A Suffolk University/USA TODAY Network poll released on Wednesday put Acton ahead with 48 per cent support against Ramaswamy’s 44 per cent. Libertarian candidate Don Kissick received 4 per cent, while 3 per cent were undecided. In the same poll in September, Acton had led by nine percentage points, 50 per cent to 41 per cent.
The survey found that 72 per cent of likely voters had seen or heard about the advertisement. However, fewer than 1 per cent said it had shifted their support from Acton to Ramaswamy. Two per cent of those familiar with the advertisement said they had moved from supporting Ramaswamy to backing Acton.
Voters were also more likely to describe Ramaswamy’s campaign as negative. Half of those surveyed said he had run the more negative campaign, compared with 15 per cent who said the same of Acton. Among voters aware of the advertisement, the figures were 59 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.
A separate internal poll commissioned by an unnamed Republican group and obtained by Axios showed Acton leading by a wider margin. The survey of 800 likely voters, conducted from October 23 to 26, put her at 50 per cent and Ramaswamy at 42 per cent. Earlier this month, the same poll had shown Acton ahead by just two points.
A memo accompanying the survey said the advertisement was having a significant effect on the race. Among respondents familiar with it, twice as many said it made them more likely to vote for Acton.
The campaign had initially committed $4 million to airing the advertisement statewide. Ramaswamy defended the spot, arguing that Acton had misrepresented her past. However, he said on Thursday that its planned run had ended. Advertising-tracking data cited by the Associated Press indicated that the campaign spent about $1 million on it.
Ramaswamy has also sought to focus attention on economic issues. On Thursday, he announced a proposed first-day executive order to investigate localities where property taxes had doubled since the pandemic, promising greater transparency for residents. He also criticised Acton over her event-recording restrictions and refusal to debate.
Ramaswamy, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Kerala, is seeking to become Ohio’s first Indian-American governor. The election is scheduled for November 3.
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