St. X alumni demand Ramaswamy pull ad

In Cincinnati, more than 3,100 alumni from St. Xavier High School signed an online petition asking Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to remove a campaign advertisement. The school is an all-male private Jesuit institution where Ramaswamy graduated in 2003. The petition expresses moral disappointment in his campaign conduct and condemns the ad targeting Democratic opponent Amy Acton.

The advertisement began airing last week as part of a $4 million broadcast and digital campaign. It features Donna Arthur, the mother of Acton and Philip Stearns. Arthur lost custody of her children in 1978 when she left the state with her husband after he was charged with raping Acton, who was 12 years old at the time. Acton has stated she has not spoken to her mother since 1978.

In the spot, Arthur claims her daughter lies about her past and urges Ohio voters not to select Acton. The ad was leaked on social media early last week. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended the advertisement. However, the response has included bipartisan anger and widespread condemnation from across the state and country.

The petition asks Ramaswamy to take down the ad and issue a public apology. It requests that he apologize for weaponizing family trauma and domestic abuse in an electoral campaign. The document also asks him to commit to debating policies rather than resorting to personal cruelty, citing the school's standard of being a 'Man for Others.'

Brian Cahill, a 1983 graduate of St. Xavier, helped organize the petition. He described the effort as a message about human decency rather than a partisan one. Cahill noted that the school itself is not involved in the petition and has not taken a stand on the ad. He said the alumni felt they could not sit by while someone associated with their name damaged its reputation.

Cahill said the idea for the petition arose from texts between alumni and discussions of the controversy. He referenced the school motto of 'men for others' and the teaching that decisions affect the entire community. He questioned Ramaswamy's decision to endorse the ad and double down on it after criticism, noting that many former classmates shared that sentiment.

A message seeking comment from the Ramaswamy campaign was not returned.