Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s $4 million advertising campaign targeting Democrat Amy Acton has sparked internal party divisions and raised concerns about its potential impact on Republicans across Ohio’s ballot.

A private poll commissioned by a Republican group found Acton leading Ramaswamy by eight percentage points, 50% to 42%, according to Axios. The survey, conducted October 23-26 among 800 likely Ohio voters, showed Acton’s lead growing from two points earlier in the month, before the controversial advertisement began circulating on October 19.

A memo accompanying the poll said the advertisement was “having a significant effect on the gubernatorial race.” Some 86% of respondents said they had seen, read or heard something about the commercial. Among those familiar with it, respondents who said the ad made them more likely to support Acton outnumbered those who said it made them less likely to support her by a two-to-one margin.

The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged mother, disputing her daughter’s account of childhood sexual abuse by her stepfather and urging voters not to support her. Acton has said her mother sided with her alleged abuser and that the two have not seen each other since 1978.

The ad has divided prominent Republicans at a critical point in the campaign. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine condemned the commercial and called on Ramaswamy to withdraw it. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, however, defended the Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Trump described the advertisement as “very powerful” and accused the media of trying to undermine Ramaswamy’s campaign. On Truth Social, the president said he had suggested Ramaswamy should “keep it up.” Trump also criticized DeWine as disloyal and predicted that Ramaswamy would be a “fantastic Governor.”

Ramaswamy has defended the campaign, accusing Acton of misrepresenting her background and avoiding substantive policy debates. The polling, however, has intensified concerns among Republican strategists that the dispute could distract from the party’s broader election efforts.

One Republican operative told Axios that Ramaswamy’s advertisement had put the entire GOP ticket on the defensive, including Sen. Jon Husted, who is seeking reelection. Pollster John Zogby also told Newsmax’s Sunday Agenda that his Ohio polling showed Acton gaining support after the controversy began.

A separate Suffolk University poll released October 28 offered a different picture of the race. It showed Acton leading Ramaswamy by four points, 48% to 44%, narrowing her nine-point advantage from September.

The competing surveys underscore the uncertainty surrounding the final stretch of the campaign. Trump is scheduled to appear with Ramaswamy and Husted in Chillicothe on Wednesday evening, less than a week before Election Day, as Republicans seek to keep the focus on their candidates and avoid further divisions within the party.