Ohio Gov.-elect Amy Acton says she has no intention of speaking with Vivek Ramaswamy after defeating him in Tuesday’s election. The Republican said he left her a congratulatory voicemail, but Acton made it clear during a Friday interview that she has no plans to return the call following a campaign that included a deeply personal attack involving her estranged mother.
For many commenters discussing the news on Reddit, Acton’s refusal was exactly the response they wanted to see. The Democratic governor-elect told CBS News Friday that she had “no intention” of speaking with her defeated Republican opponent, despite Ramaswamy saying he called to congratulate her following Tuesday’s election.
Acton’s explanation was equally pointed.
“I do believe that leaders’ words matter, and we need to hold folks accountable,” she said.
During his concession speech, Ramaswamy acknowledged that the campaign had become bitter at times and encouraged his supporters to wish Acton and her incoming administration well. He also said he had called to congratulate her, but she did not answer.
The bitterness stems from an attack ad Ramaswamy ran featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter a liar.
Acton had not seen her mother since she was 12. She and her brother had been removed from Arthur’s care after Acton’s stepfather was arrested and charged with raping her when she was between 10 and 12 years old.
Acton called Ramaswamy’s decision to air the ad “a terrible and despicable thing to do.”
The advertisement also drew criticism from members of both parties, including Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and Sen. Jon Husted. President Donald Trump, however, defended the ad and said he had encouraged Ramaswamy not to remove it.
Ohio Liberals Have Little Interest in a Polite Goodbye
In the r/Ohio subreddit, sympathy for Ramaswamy was in extremely short supply.
One commenter’s quip set the tone for the entire thread: “Basically left him on ‘read’. I love it.”
Another wrote that Acton “owes him nothing,” while others questioned why the incoming governor should spend any time speaking with a defeated candidate who holds no elected position.
The anger also extended beyond Ramaswamy. Several commenters complained that Democrats should restore civility after Republican candidates wage intensely personal campaigns.
One user put it plainly: “This is the energy democrats need to be having.”
Another said there was “a big difference between an aggressive campaign and that ad,” describing Ramaswamy’s attack as beyond acceptable political discourse.
For many of the commenters, the issue wasn’t simply that Acton refused to speak with Ramaswamy. It was the attack involving her estranged mother that made them question why she should feel obligated to return his call.
Acton told CBS that Ohioans are tired of “the hate and chaos and vitriol” of modern politics, adding that “kindness isn’t weakness.” But while Ramaswamy has offered his congratulations, she has made it clear that she has no plans to return his call. For now, the congratulatory voicemail appears to be where their conversation ends.
