Vivek Ramaswamy Faces Republican Criticism and Tight Polls in Final Push for Ohio Governor

WASHINGTON–Indian American Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is making a final campaign push in Ohio’s gubernatorial race as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sharply criticized his candidacy and recent polls showed Democratic opponent Amy Acton holding a narrow lead ahead of Tuesday’s election.

Christie, a fellow Republican and former presidential candidate, described Ramaswamy as one of the weakest candidates the Republican Party has nominated for a major political office.

Speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie made the remarks during a discussion about candidate quality and the political challenges facing Republicans in key races.

The exchange began when Democratic strategist Donna Brazile raised controversy surrounding a recent Ramaswamy campaign advertisement targeting Acton.

“That ad is still having a ripple effect across the Ramaswamy –” Brazile said before Christie responded.

“You’re not going to get any argument from me about the quality of the gubernatorial candidate in Ohio. He’s one of the worst political candidates our party has put forward for major positions,” Christie said.

Christie later reiterated his criticism, referring to both Ramaswamy and Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton.

“I’ve been on this air talking about Ramaswamy and talking about Paxton,” he said.

Despite the criticism, Ramaswamy continued delivering an aggressive closing message to Ohio voters, framing the election as a choice between competing political visions.

In a clip featured at the beginning of CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Ramaswamy declared: “It is now or never. For the future of the United States, for the future of Ohio. It is communism versus common sense.”

The race has become increasingly contentious in its final days following the release of a Ramaswamy campaign advertisement featuring Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged biological mother.

The advertisement generated criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, including outgoing Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who called on Ramaswamy to remove it.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, however, defended Ramaswamy amid the controversy.

According to the Ohio Capital Journal, the Ramaswamy campaign has stopped airing the advertisement.

“It ran to completion, and we’ve put up 4 other ads,” Ramaswamy told reporters Thursday.

Acton strongly condemned the advertisement during remarks outside the Franklin County Board of Elections on Friday.

“There is no bar too low apparently for my opponent, he will say and do anything. … I think it was absolutely despicable to do this. I really hope everyone is held accountable for their behavior in this,” she said.

The controversy comes as public opinion surveys suggest Acton has gained an advantage in the closely watched contest.

The Cook Political Report has classified the Ohio governor’s race as “Lean Democrat,” indicating that Acton holds an advantage but the contest remains competitive.

The FiftyPlusOne polling average on Sunday showed Acton leading Ramaswamy by approximately three percentage points, with 49% support compared with 46% for the Republican candidate.

A separate Miami University student survey conducted between October 26 and October 29 found Acton ahead by a wider margin of 52% to 42% among likely voters.

The survey carried a margin of error of approximately six percentage points.

The poll also found that 80% of likely voters had seen the controversial campaign advertisement involving Acton’s estranged mother.

Researchers examining hypothetical responses to the advertisement found indications that it may have negatively affected voters’ perceptions of Ramaswamy.

However, the survey’s authors cautioned that their findings “do not establish the ad’s causal effect on actual voting behavior.”

As Election Day approaches, Ramaswamy is continuing to campaign across Ohio, seeking to mobilize Republican voters and overcome Acton’s polling advantage.

Vice President Vance is scheduled to campaign in Swanton, near Toledo, on Monday in support of the Republican candidate, according to WLWT.

Ramaswamy also highlighted his weekend campaign activities on social media, expressing confidence about the election’s outcome.

Following an appearance in Ashtabula County, he wrote on X that he had “a great crowd today” and predicted a Republican victory.

“The next time will be for our victory tour after we win on Tuesday,” he said.

Ramaswamy also shared details of a church visit in Summit County, where he and his wife, Apoorva, met a 104-year-old woman named Charlotte.

A biotechnology entrepreneur who gained national prominence during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Ramaswamy is seeking to become Ohio’s next governor.

He faces Acton, a Democrat, and Libertarian candidate Don Kissick in Tuesday’s election.

The outcome will determine whether Ramaswamy can translate his national political profile and support from leading Republicans into a statewide electoral victory despite late campaign controversies and unfavorable polling. (Source: IANS)