Vice President JD Vance defended a controversial campaign advertisement supporting Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy during a trip to the state on Wednesday. The advertisement features the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s opponent, a tactic that has drawn backlash from some members of the Republican party.

Speaking to reporters while traveling to a rally, Vance stated that he was "disgusted" by Republicans who have complained about the ad. He urged members of his party to stop "whining" about the campaign's methods, suggesting that the focus should remain on the political contest rather than the propriety of the advertisement. While Vance did not explicitly state whether he personally believes the ad is appropriate, he framed the internal party criticism as a distraction and a sign of weakness.

There is a slight difference in how the outlets characterized the context of the ad. The Washington Examiner explicitly identified the woman in the advertisement as the "estranged mother" of Ramaswamy’s opponent, providing context regarding the nature of the familial relationship. The Hill focused primarily on Vance’s reaction to the internal party dissent without detailing the specific familial dynamic between the woman in the ad and the opponent. Both outlets agree that Vance’s primary objective was to silence criticism from within the GOP and maintain support for the Ramaswamy campaign.