Ramaswamy Pulls Ad Featuring Rival's Estranged Mother After Backlash

Vivek Ramaswamy pulled a campaign ad this week after it drew backlash for featuring the estranged mother of rival candidate Amy Acton.

The ad had been running as part of Ramaswamy's campaign messaging before it was pulled following criticism over its use of a family member with no apparent connection to Acton's own record or positions — the kind of move that tends to generate more coverage of the tactic than of whatever point the ad was trying to make.

The campaign hasn't detailed exactly what prompted the decision to pull it, beyond the backlash itself. Campaigns test ads, and sometimes they miss; pulling one quickly once it clearly isn't landing is a more ordinary story than the initial headlines suggested.

Worth watching whether this becomes a one-day story or a line Ramaswamy's opponents keep bringing up.