--- title: Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio Governor’s Race description: Amy Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy to become the first Democrat elected Ohio governor in two decades. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/amy-acton-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-midterm-election-bitter-race-against/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-11-04T04:02:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-11-04T04:04:29.229Z article:section: Politics og:title: Amy Acton Flips Ohio Governor’s Office After Bitter Race Against Ramaswamy og:description: A divisive attack ad drew bipartisan condemnation before Acton’s victory delivered a significant blow to Republicans in Ohio. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/amy-acton-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-midterm-election-bitter-race-against/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a3907c3a1383fb5/6aeaad7b376c3657400d292f/GettyImages-2302608123.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: GettyImages-2302608123.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Amy Acton Flips Ohio Governor’s Office After Bitter Race Against Ramaswamy twitter:description: A divisive attack ad drew bipartisan condemnation before Acton’s victory delivered a significant blow to Republicans in Ohio. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a3907c3a1383fb5/6aeaad7b376c3657400d292f/GettyImages-2302608123.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio Governor’s Race > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=571ca869-02fd-4e83-ba32-41332dcbcbd6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Twice a week | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * D.C. Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=571ca869-02fd-4e83-ba32-41332dcbcbd6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=571ca869-02fd-4e83-ba32-41332dcbcbd6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=571ca869-02fd-4e83-ba32-41332dcbcbd6&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Nov 4, 2026 4:02 AM UTC  Dr. Amy Acton speaks at a campaign rally in Toledo, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 2026. Dr. Amy Acton speaks at a campaign rally in Toledo, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 2026. Michael M. Santiago—Getty Images by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Nov 4, 2026 4:02 AM UTC Listen 00:001.0x02:58 Narrated by TIME AI. [Dr. Amy Acton](https://time.com/collections/coronavirus-heroes/5816890/amy-acton-ohio-coronavirus/) will be Ohio’s next governor, defeating her Republican opponent [Vivek Ramaswamy](https://time.com/6305440/vivek-ramaswamy-interview-republican-primary/) in a heated race that has [gained national attention](https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/democrat-ohio-governors-race-pushes-back-unattributed-ad-137424257) in recent weeks over a controversial attack-ad against the Democrat. On Tuesday evening, AP called the race for Acton, who previously served as the director of the state’s health department during the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting that she won 50.8% of the vote with 86% of votes counted.Ramaswamy, who was backed by President Donald Trump, earned 45.9% of the vote, according to AP. Acton’s victory marks the first time in two decades that Ohioans have elected a Democrat to the governorship. It represents a significant blow to Republicans, who initially liked their chances in a state that the President won by double digits in the 2024 election. ## Ramaswamy attack ad sparks widespread controversy The race, which was an open battle since current Republican Gov. Mike DeWine was restricted from running again because of term limits, took a striking turn in the lead-up to Election Day. The [Cook Political Report](https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479566) had previously rated the race as “Lean Republican,” but later adjusted its analysis and marked it a “Toss Up.” On Oct. 23, though, the Cook Political Report shifted the race slightly in Democrats’ favor to “Lean Democrat.” The election forecaster [attributed](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/governors/ohio-governor/ohio-gov-race-toss-lean-democrat) its latest assessment in part to an attack ad released by Ramaswamy’s campaign in October. The ad featured Acton’s estranged mother, who lost custody of Acton and her brother in 1978,the same year that their stepfather was indicted on charges of raping Acton when she was a child. It sparked backlash across the political aisle. Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, described the ad as “a despicable low.” “It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Stearns said in a [statement](https://actonforgovernor.com/dr-amy-actons-brothers-statement-on-ramaswamy-platforming-their-estranged-and-abusive-mother/). “This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core—a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants.” The state’s current Republican governor said that the ad was “deeply, deeply troubling” and “just plain wrong,” calling for Ramaswamy’s campaign to rescind it. DeWine maintained, nonetheless, that he still endorsed Ramaswamy and “the whole \[Republican\] ticket.” But Ramaswamy, who launched an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 election, doubled down on the ad. Both Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance [defended him](https://time.com/article/2026/10/21/ramaswamy-s-ad-of-acton-s-estranged-mom-jolts-ohio-races-across-the-ballot/) in the wake of the outrage. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/amy-acton-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-midterm-election-bitter-race-against/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/amy-acton-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-midterm-election-bitter-race-against/"},"headline":"Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio Governor’s Race","datePublished":"2026-11-04T04:02:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-11-04T04:04:29.229Z","description":"A divisive attack ad drew bipartisan condemnation before Acton’s victory delivered a significant blow to Republicans in Ohio.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/amy-acton-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-midterm-election-bitter-race-against/","keywords":["Midterm Elections","Ohio"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a3907c3a1383fb5/6aeaad7b376c3657400d292f/GettyImages-2302608123.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chantelle Lee","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a3907c3a1383fb5/6aeaad7b376c3657400d292f/GettyImages-2302608123.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-2302608123.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Michael M. Santiago—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/midterm-elections/","name":"Midterm Elections"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/11/04/amy-acton-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-midterm-election-bitter-race-against/","name":"Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio Governor’s Race"}}]}] ```