President Donald Trump on Thursday defended a controversial campaign ad by Vivek Ramaswamy featuring the estranged mother of Amy Acton, his Democratic opponent in the Ohio gubernatorial race.

Trump's defense of the ad came after widespread bipartisan backlash to it because, among other things, Acton's stepfather had been charged with sexual abuse of her when she was a child and was married to Acton's mother.

In the ad, Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, says Acton has "lied her entire life."

"Don't vote for people who lie," Arthur says in the ad. "Don't let her become your governor. If you think she'll make your life better, you're fooling yourself. It will only get worse."

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