Amy Acton Beats Vivek Ramaswamy, Defying GOP Attack Ad

Newsweek · Anna Skinner · 2026-11-04 03:49 UTC

Ohio emerged as a closely watched battleground this midterm cycle despite its steady shift to the right over the past decade.

Democrat Amy Acton won Ohio's gubernatorial race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Vivek Ramswamy and earning the chance to lead a state at the center of debates over the economy, AI data centers and the country's political future.

With 81 percent of votes counted, Acton had garnered 50.7 percent of the vote, while Ramaswamy had 46 percent.

Ohio emerged as a closely watched battleground this midterm cycle despite its steady shift to the right over the past decade. Once a premier swing state that backed former President Barack Obama twice, Ohio voted for President Donald Trump in three consecutive elections, including by 11 points in 2024. Trump’s declining approval rating, as well as voter frustration over the economy and the cost of living, made the Ohio governor’s race competitive this year. The competition tightened further after Ramaswamy faced a wave of backlash over a campaign ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother.

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