Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic candidate Amy Acton engaged in a series of criticisms this week as past incidents involving both candidates resurfaced. Acton criticized Ramaswamy following the guilty plea of a former bodyguard to drug trafficking charges, while Ramaswamy responded by highlighting Acton's past domestic incident involving a 911 call made by her daughter in 2019.
Acton's campaign used the bodyguard's legal troubles to question Ramaswamy's trustworthiness regarding public safety. Acton’s spokeswoman, Addie Bullock, stated, "Vivek Ramaswamy’s personal bodyguard pleading guilty to federal drug trafficking charges is just the latest example of how Ohioans cannot trust him to keep their families safe."
In response, Ramaswamy's campaign condemned the politicization of the incident, emphasizing that the former bodyguard's actions were unacceptable and that they had terminated the third-party firm involved. Connie Luck, a spokeswoman for Ramaswamy, stated that his family was disturbed by the incident and expressed gratitude for law enforcement's protection.
As the exchange continued, reports emerged regarding Acton’s past, including a 911 call related to an incident involving her and her husband. Ramaswamy criticized the media for not adequately covering this incident, suggesting that the narrative would differ if the roles were reversed.
Recent polling indicates that Ramaswamy holds a narrow lead over Acton, with a Fox News poll showing him ahead by 2 percentage points, an increase from earlier polling that indicated a tighter race.