Dr. Amy Acton, a Jewish Democrat, won Ohio’s race for governor against former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
With about 89% of votes counted, Acton had 2,145,218 votes, or 51%, well ahead of Ramaswamy’s 1,921,915, or 45.7%, according to the New York Times.
Acton, who reportedly faced antisemitic harassment during the Covid pandemic when she served as the state’s health director, will become Ohio’s first Jewish governor.
She previously served as chief health adviser to then-governor Mike DeWine.
Acton stated on Tuesday night that “tonight, Ohio has chosen unity and decency over division and hate.”
“Ohio is ready for a governor, who will fight to lower costs, take on corruption and build a state where everyone gets a fair shot,” she stated.
Born in Ohio, Acton was raised in Youngstown by her Jewish father, Gerald Stearns.
Acton has posted about Chanukah, about Jew-hatred and about the Holocaust.
During the campaign, a leaked attack ad, for which Ramaswamy’s campaign faced heavy backlash, featured Acton’s estranged mother calling her a “liar” and encouraging Ohioans not to vote for her.
According to her campaign website, she lives in Bexley with her husband, Eric, and six children.
