The Old Dog Ale House & Brewery in Delaware, Ohio, pulled the plug on a Republican rally scheduled for Friday, citing a surge of negative feedback from voters and local business owners.
A 60‑second commercial produced by Ramaswamy’s campaign features Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of fabricating her past and claiming she grew up in a tent. “She lies about her past,” Arthur says in the spot, a claim that has already sparked outrage among Acton’s supporters.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was among the first to denounce the ad, saying it was "deeply troubling". Local hosts such as Elliot’s Wood Fired Kitchen in Newark have publicly refused to stage the event, and the Ohio GOP’s bus‑tour website now lists the venue as "to be announced." A wave of one‑star Google reviews has appeared overnight, with photos of Ramaswamy at venues like Kick‑N‑Ax in Zanesville and Izzy’s in Monroe.
Ramaswamy’s campaign claims the controversy has escalated beyond its control, but the party’s rapid venue reshuffle underscores the urgency of maintaining a neutral image as the November 3 mid‑term elections loom. The next step will be a new location announcement by Friday night, while the campaign prepares to shift its strategy ahead of the vote.