Former John Glenn aide compares Ramaswamy ad to 1988 Voinovich flop

Dale Butland, a former aide to U.S. Senator John Glenn, said the attack ad by Vivek Ramaswamy brings him back to 1988. He compared the current backlash to an ad that helped sink the Senate campaign of George Voinovich.

Butland worked for the reelection campaign of Howard Metzenbaum in 1988. Voinovich, who was then the mayor of Cleveland, ran an ad claiming Metzenbaum lacked a strong stance on child pornography. Butland said the negative reaction to that spot contributed to Voinovich losing the race.

Now, Ramaswamy is pushing forward with an ad featuring Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. The ad has drawn criticism from voters across the political spectrum. Butland believes the spot could hurt Ramaswamy's chances.

Butland said Ohio voters generally have a sense of right and wrong. He stated that on that measure, this ad falls on the wrong side. He served as press secretary, speechwriter, campaign manager, and chief of staff to Glenn. In 1988, he was on loan to the Metzenbaum team.

Election forecasters previously called the Ohio governor's race a toss-up. The new ad shifted the dynamics, prompting the Cook Political Report to move the race to a lean Democratic status. The ad features Donna Arthur accusing Acton of lying about her upbringing and her opponent.

Court records show Arthur has not spoken to Acton, 60, in nearly 50 years. Records indicate Arthur's custody rights were revoked after her husband, Cledith Arthur, was accused of raping Acton. The couple fled the state to avoid charges and remained married until Cledith Arthur died.

The ad suggests a different family dynamic than what court records show. Records state the family was living in a tent at the time of the custody issues. Butland noted that political ads have become more personal since the 1980s. He said the success of Donald Trump lowered the bar for acceptable tactics.

Butland thinks voters may punish Ramaswamy if he loses. He hopes the reaction encourages candidates to return to a semblance of normality. He expects polls in the coming days to show Acton increasing her lead. Previous polls showed Acton with a slight edge.

He predicted Acton might win but not by a landslide because Ohio has turned redder over time. He suggested the result could move the state back toward purple. Some independents and moderate Republicans may switch their support. Former Attorney General Dave Yost's wife said she will vote for neither candidate.

Gov. Mike DeWine criticized the ad but kept his endorsement of Ramaswamy. Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended the spot. Voinovich went on to win the Ohio governor's race two years later and served from 1991 to 1998. Butland does not think Ramaswamy will be as lucky if he loses to Acton.