Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign has removed a man with a serious criminal conviction from an advertisement supporting his bid for Ohio governor. The campaign stated it was unaware of his background when creating the ad.
Vernon Edwards appeared in the advertisement alongside his wife, Patricia “Patty” Edwards. The ad focused on rising property taxes and Patty’s fears of losing their home. Newsweek confirmed Edwards’ criminal history through an Ohio appeals court decision. The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office registry lists Vernon Thomas Edwards as a lifetime sex offender registrant.
The Ramaswamy campaign asserted they did not know about Edwards’ past and had since removed him from the ad. Campaign spokesperson Evan Machan explained, “This ad was based on a real interaction between Vivek and an Ohio woman at a county fair. We had no knowledge of the circumstances now being reported.”
The advertisement originated from an encounter Ramaswamy had with the Edwards at the Lorain County Fair. Vernon Edwards interacted with Ramaswamy, who praised his patriotic shirt. Patty Edwards expressed her concerns about rising property taxes, fearing it might force them from their farm.
Though Vernon was not the advertisement’s focus, he appeared in footage of the encounter. The Bulwark first reported Edwards’ inclusion in the ad and the campaign’s decision to remove him. The campaign also withdrew a social media video showing Ramaswamy’s meeting with the couple.
The incident has raised questions about the campaign’s vetting procedures, as Edwards’ conviction and registration status were public records. The campaign did not specify what vetting had occurred prior to the advertisement.
Dr. Amy Acton’s campaign criticized the decision to feature Edwards, describing it as disqualifying and questioning Ramaswamy’s judgment. Acton’s campaign suggested Ramaswamy had intentionally amplified Edwards despite claiming otherwise.
Acton’s spokeswoman, Addie Bullock, criticized Ramaswamy for his political associations and treatment of Acton. The Ramaswamy campaign did not address these broader claims, focusing instead on the property-tax issue highlighted by the ad.
Patty Edwards, in an interview with The Bulwark, defended her participation, stating the campaign approached her, not her husband. She asserted, “I am a normal American citizen, and the ad was with me and with Vivek.”
The controversy emerges as Ramaswamy and Acton compete to replace Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. According to RealClearPolling, Acton leads with 48.1% compared to Ramaswamy’s 44.1% in recent polls.
Ramaswamy’s campaign continues to emphasize the issue of high property taxes. Machan reiterated, “Property taxes are excessively high, leading many Ohioans to consider relocation.” Meanwhile, Acton’s campaign uses the incident to question Ramaswamy’s judgment.