GOP insiders in dire straits after failed 11th-hour gambit: 'Vivek got what he wanted'

Republicans fear Vivek Ramaswamy’s attack ad is sinking his Ohio governor’s bid, according to an internal GOP poll obtained by Axios.

The survey, commissioned by a Republican group, has Democrat Amy Acton ahead by eight points. Earlier this month, before the ad began circulating October 19, she led by two. Acton rose from 47 percent to 50 percent while Ramaswamy slipped from 45 percent to 42 percent, among 800 likely voters polled October 23 to 26. Most respondents, 86 percent, knew of the ad, and those who did were twice as likely to say it made them favor Acton, a memo says.

A separate Suffolk University poll found a four-point gap, narrower than the nine points it showed in late September.

The ad features Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of lying about her childhood. Arthur lost custody of Acton after refusing to protect her from sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather. Ramaswamy’s campaign put $4 million behind it despite warnings from fellow Republicans. Gov. Mike DeWine called it wrong and urged him to pull it, while President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance defended it.

A source close to the campaign told Axios the ad was filmed months ago and met internal resistance, with the candidate himself pushing to run it. It began as an online test shown to poll respondents, and the source said the wide release wasn’t planned.

“But Vivek got what he wanted,” the source said.

National Republicans fear fallout for Sen. Jon Husted, who has said he wouldn’t have run the ad. A GOP operative briefed on the polling said it has put the party’s whole ticket on the defensive.

Ramaswamy defends the ad, saying Acton has misrepresented her past. His campaign declined to comment. Trump is due to campaign in Chillicothe Wednesday alongside Ramaswamy and Husted.