Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton is pushing back against an attack ad that features her estranged mother and that a family member says is the work of GOP challenger Vivek Ramaswamy.

The ad features Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, saying her daughter "lies about her past" and "needs help." The ad does not include an attribution to indicate its financial backer.

Acton published a statement Tuesday from her brother, Philip Stearns, denouncing the ad and highlighting that Arthur had lost custody of them when they were children. He also suggested Ramaswamy is behind the ad.

"It's not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at 12 years old from our birth mother's husband into a political talking point," he said.

"After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy's rapist until he died. This desperate, disgusting attack reveals exactly who Vivek Ramaswamy is at his core – a pathetic excuse for a man who is willing to hurt anyone as long as it gets him what he wants."

Acton holds a 3.7% lead in the race, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average, with two weeks before Election Day.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.