Democrat Amy Acton beats Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race

Acton is the first Democrat to become governor of Ohio since 2006.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton reacts following her victory in the US midterm elections at a Democratic Election Night rally, in Columbus, Ohio, US, November 3, 2026 [Shannon Stapleton/Reuters]

Democrat Amy Acton has been elected as the US state of Ohio’s next governor, delivering a stunning defeat to Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a race that captured headlines across the country.

Acton, a physician who served as outgoing Republican Governor Mike DeWine’s top health official, faced countless attacks over her response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Spending in the hotly contested race topped an unprecedented $100m.

In the final weeks of the bitter campaign, a controversial television ad featuring her estranged mother sparked fierce backlash against Ramaswamy, who claimed responsibility for it and refused to take it down off the airwaves.

In the ad, Acton’s mother accused her daughter of lying about her childhood and suggesting she has a mental illness. But it failed to mention that Acton was removed from her mother’s custody at the age of 12 after her stepfather was charged with raping her.

Acton is the first Democrat to become governor of Ohio since 2006. She’s also the first woman ever elected to the office.

阿克顿是自 2006 年以来首位当选俄亥俄州州长的民主党人。

2026年11月3日，美国俄亥俄州哥伦布市，民主党州长候选人艾米·阿克顿在民主党选举之夜集会上庆祝赢得美国中期选举。[香农·斯台普顿/路透社]

民主党人艾米·阿克顿当选为美国俄亥俄州下一任州长，在全国瞩目的选举中，她以压倒性优势击败了共和党候选人维韦克·拉马斯瓦米。

阿克顿是一名医生，曾担任即将卸任的共和党州长迈克·德瓦恩的首席卫生官员，她因应对新冠疫情不力而遭受无数抨击。这场竞争激烈的选举花费超过了史无前例的1亿美元。

在这场激烈竞选的最后几周，一则有争议的电视广告，广告中出现了她疏远的母亲，引发了对拉马斯瓦米的强烈反弹。拉马斯瓦米承认对此负责，并拒绝将其从电视上撤下。

广告中，阿克顿的母亲指责女儿谎报童年经历，并暗示她患有精神疾病。但广告却只字未提阿克顿12岁时，继父因强奸罪被起诉后，她就被剥夺了母亲的监护权。

阿克顿是自2006年以来首位当选俄亥俄州州长的民主党人，也是该州历史上首位女性州长。