Dr. Amy Acton, a physician running unopposed in the Democratic primary for Ohio governor, is navigating a political landscape reshaped by the pandemic response that once made her a household name. The Republican nominee she will face in the general election is expected to be Vivek Ramaswamy, who has begun attacking her pandemic-era decisions as dangerous "COVID ideology."
Acton served as Ohio's health director when the coronavirus reached the United States in early 2020. She became a prominent public figure during daily COVID-19 briefings alongside Governor Mike DeWine, where she calmly explained public health measures to Ohioans. Her calm demeanor and accessible communication style earned her cult-hero status, inspiring a fan club complete with yard signs and a bobblehead doll. Ohio ranked 22nd among states in per capita death rates during the pandemic's first year, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
The pandemic's social fallout, however, continues to complicate her campaign. Public skepticism about lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and government authority remains potent in Ohio and elsewhere, reshaping how millions view public health institutions. At Republican campaign events, speakers invoke references to pandemic restrictions as symbols of government overreach, framing the governor's race around "freedom" versus "lockdowns."
Acton's campaign has emphasized her collaborative approach with DeWine to prioritize public health and save lives. Campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock stated: "Dr. Acton is proud of the work she did alongside Governor DeWine to put public health over politics, save lives and keep Ohioans safe. It is unfortunate that Vivek Ramaswamy wants to play politics on this issue."
Ramaswamy, however, carries his own pandemic connections. As CEO of biotechnology company Roivant Sciences, he worked with then-Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted as an adviser on COVID-19 during 2020. Ramaswamy supported vaccines and mask-wearing personally but opposed government mandates. One of his companies, Datavant, even advocated for a national COVID registry to segregate populations based on immunity status.
In recent years, Ramaswamy has distanced himself from those pandemic-era roles. He stepped down from the Roivant board in early 2023, and references to his service on Ohio's "COVID-19 Response Team" were removed from his Wikipedia page. He characterized this as a correction, claiming the panel never formally convened. His campaign has declined to provide additional comment on his pandemic involvement.
Governor DeWine, while endorsing Ramaswamy, recently denounced a campaign advertisement attacking Acton over the 2020 primary suspension, signaling some tension within Republican ranks. When asked about pandemic accountability at a recent States Forum symposium in Columbus, Acton focused on unity, saying she would work with anyone seeking to solve problems rather than create them.
