Billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, was heckled Tuesday over his ugly attack ad that featured his Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling her daughter a “liar.”

Ramaswamy — while speaking at a town hall-style event in Westerville — was interrupted by a man who shouted in his direction while appearing to refer to Donna Arthur, Acton’s birth mother, and her late husband, Cledith “Bud” Arthur, the latter of whom sexually abused Acton when she was a child.

Donna Arthur proceeded to ditch Acton and her brother to live with her husband, whom she remained married to until his death in 2004.

Arthur has since reappeared in an ad where she says Acton has a “serious problem” and “needs help.” The Ramaswamy campaign produced the ad and plans to spend some $4 million to air the spot, which has ignited bipartisan backlash.

“Sir, sir, excuse me, you’re going to leave this room if you’re —,” Ramaswamy told the heckler.

The heckler continued, “— rape her as a child! The child was 12 years old!”

Ramaswamy went on as a police officer made his way to the heckler and escorted him out of the building.

“Sir, sir. If you want to be patient and you want to ask a question at the end, you are free to do that. Thank you for making your contribution today,” he said.

“We’ll give a round of applause, and we’ll say a friendly goodbye.”

Ethan Lynne, a communications staffer for Acton’s campaign, shared the clip on X, writing, “Vivek Ramaswamy’s first public appearance today didn’t go well.”

Vivek Ramaswamy’s first public appearance today didn’t go well: pic.twitter.com/KDAZ9fSF8k

Acton — who is leading Ramaswamy in the polls despite the billionaire and his friends vastly outspending her — condemned the ad on Tuesday along with her brother, Phil Stearns, who declared in a campaign response video that the Republican is “not fit to lead.”

Casey Putsch, one of Ramaswamy’s opponents in the GOP primary, called the ad “pretty damn low” and claimed he’d be crossing party lines to vote for Acton.

And Jason Rantz, a Republican talking head on CNN, summed up the “unbelievably disgusting” ad as an “indictment” on Ramaswamy.

“I do think he could lead. But this shows that he can’t,” Rantz said.

Ramaswamy campaign manager Jonathan Ewing has since framed the spot as a “campaign-ending moment” for Acton, telling Axios that “the people who know her best keep warning Ohioans about her.”

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