Cincinnati, Ohio - Vice President JD Vance has been playing defense for MAGA gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who is facing bipartisan backlash over a distasteful campaign ad.
While speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Vance lambasted Republicans for criticizing Ramaswamy's ad ahead of the upcoming midterms.
"Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is: If you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days," Vance stated.
Ramaswamy's campaign recently debuted a 60-second ad featuring his Democratic challenger Amy Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, who calls her daughter a "liar," and tells voters, "Don't let her become your governor."
According to The Washington Post, Acton and her brother were removed from Arthur's home after a grand jury indicted Arthur's second husband, Cledith, on a charge of raping Acton, who was 12 at the time.
Despite the charge, Donna remained married to Cledith, who fled Ohio and ultimately avoided prosecution before he died in 2004. Acton has not spoken to her mother since.
While the ad was met with sweeping condemnation from both sides of the political aisle, MAGA appears intent on owning it. Ramaswamy himself doubled down on Tuesday by committing to spend $40 million to continue pushing it.
On Wednesday afternoon, Vance brought up the ad again during a campaign rally, now accusing Acton of orchestrating the backlash.
Vance diminished the outrage to Acton being upset that someone said "something mean about" them and argued that she should "never serve in the governor's mansion" as a result.