How will the backlash over a deeply personal campaign ad impact final voter turnout in this unusually tight Ohio race?

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The backlash is most likely to affect turnout at the margins rather than cause a broad collapse, but in a race this close, even a small shift could matter. The evidence suggests the ad damaged Vivek Ramaswamy most among persuadable voters and some uneasy supporters, not among his core base. At his Swanton rally, at least one supporter said the spot bothered him but did not change his vote. That fits the wider pattern: criticism came not only from Amy Acton’s campaign but also from prominent Republicans, including Mike DeWine and others, which gave the controversy added credibility and kept it in the news. The bigger risk for Ramaswamy is not mass defections so much as reduced enthusiasm among suburban, moderate and independent voters who often decide close statewide races. Polling snapshots show the contest tightened after the ad fight, with Acton holding small leads in some late surveys. Reports also show strong early voting, including in key counties, suggesting many voters were already highly engaged and that late outrage could mobilize additional turnout among voters motivated by tone, character and health-care issues. At the same time, high turnout does not automatically favor either side. Ohio election officials and local boards reported early voting above recent midterm levels, but some county officials cautioned that higher early voting can reflect a shift in how people vote, not necessarily a surge in total participation. The likeliest impact is a modest boost to an…

Ramaswamy Ad on Acton’s Abuse History Narrows Ohio Race in Trump +10 State

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Ramaswamy Ad on Acton’s Abuse History Narrows Ohio Race in Trump +10 State

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