Armed Republican accused of attacking Dem linked to GOP campaign scandal: reports

The man accused of attacking Amy Acton, the gubernatorial Democrat candidate, in Ohio is a registered Republican who shared an address with a scandal-plagued volunteer ousted from a Republican senator's campaign, according to multiple reports.

Patrick Havas, 38, has been accused by Acton's campaign of "injuring multiple people" on Sunday when he lunged at the 60-year-old candidate at the Canfield Fair.

Havas was booked at the Mahoning County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and assault, according to Newsweek, who also reported he is registered Republican and a licensed nurse. Havas had two handguns and brass knuckles with him, the sheriff’s office told Newsweek.

Havas once shared an address with Andrew Havas, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

In July, NBC News reported Andrew Havas resigned from his volunteer roll with Sen. Jon Husted's campaign after it was revealed he'd spent time in jail following accusations of sexual misconduct with a 15-year-old.

Havas, 22 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty in 2009 to a misdemeanor assault charge and served 90 days in the Mahoning County jail from May to August 2009, according to records provided by the county sheriff’s office to NBC.

Acton has publicly criticized her Republican opponent Vivek Ramaswamy over campaign donations from Andrew Havas, TiffinOhio.net reported.

“Ohioans deserve leaders who exercise good judgment and who put integrity first,” Acton reportedly wrote in July. “I find it appalling that Vivek Ramaswamy accepted over $10,000 from Andrew Havas.”

Both Ramaswamy and Husted have released statements condemning the attack.

"Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence," Ramaswamy’s communications director Connie Luck said in a statement to Newsweek. "What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt."

"Tina and I are disturbed by the attempted attack on Amy Acton today at the Canfield Fair," Husted wrote on X. "We are grateful for law enforcement’s quick response. There is no place for this kind of behavior, and it must never be tolerated."