Trump digs in on controversial Ohio ad as forecaster shifts race away from Republicans

President Donald Trump is standing behind a campaign advertisement from Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that features the mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. Acton has publicly condemned the spot, which involves her estranged mother. Meanwhile, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report now rates the governor's contest Leans Democratic, according to NBC News.

NBC News reporters Monica Alba, Jon Allen and Ben Kamisar covered the Ohio dispute as part of a wider midterm roundup dated October 23, 2026. Cook has also moved 11 House races toward Democrats while Trump continues to campaign. One House Democrat welcomed word that Trump and the GOP were withdrawing from an Ohio battleground race, and a separate segment argued that Republican spending decisions suggest the party sees a Democratic-leaning climate.

Elsewhere, the Trump administration canceled some tariffs on Canada while midterm contests remain close, and the Justice Department sued California over alleged voting by noncitizens. Trump has also promised perks if Republicans win, prompting an Iowa Republican to voice doubts about Washington.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NBC News’s reporting. Read the full story at NBC News →