COLUMBUS, OHIO—Republican Vivek Ramaswamy knows what he and his ticket are up against when it comes to countering the dangerous rhetoric from Ohio Democrats.
“I think that the problem with the modern Democratic Party is that they are effectively condoning this type of behavior repeatedly,” Ramaswamy told The Daily Signal, in reference to a plan to “kill Donald Trump” from Democrat Elliot Forhan, who is running for attorney general.
Ramaswamy also criticized his own opponent, Democrat Amy Acton.
“If you look at the … approach that our opponents to this race have taken … led by Amy Acton, in some ways, it sets the wrong tone, the wrong tone of unnecessary, often toxic, vitriolic, combativeness that unfortunately perpetuates more of this type of ugly rhetoric,” Ramaswamy added.
“The good news is I’m confident the three of us here, we’re going to win our election, and we’re going to lead with a positive tone that unites our state, rather than dividing people based on this … fractious rhetoric. And so, I’m less worried about what the other side is going to do going forward, and more on how we’re going to offer such a positive vision that it dilutes their poison to irrelevance,” he continued.
Ramaswamy was joined by Senate President Rob McColley, his pick for lieutenant governor, as well as Forhan’s Republican opponent, Auditor Keith Faber.
Just before Ramaswamy spoke at a Young Republican meeting on Wednesday, Forhan sent shockwaves by announcing his plan to “kill Donald Trump” by convicting the president of a capital crime. Despite backlash, Forhan told The Daily Signal he is staying in the race.
This attorney general race has been one to watch, thanks to Forhan‘s controversial statements. Faber told The Daily Signal that Forhan “was looking for attention” and “got a lot of it.”
The Republican continued to denounce Forhan’s rhetoric as “vile,” while giving a call to action.
“I encourage everybody to turn down the rhetoric. It is about making sure we keep everybody safe. I encourage people to follow the law. You’re running to be the attorney general,” Faber said, drawing a contrast to New York’s attorney general.
“Frankly, you need to be less like Letitia James and looking for a crime to justify the punishment you want to oppose and more like, candidly, a statesman. [Forhan’s] striking out on all those accounts,” he continued.
Unlike New York, Ohio voted for Trump three times. Trump won the state with increased margins each election, McColley reminded, suggesting Forhan’s rhetoric makes him “out of touch with Ohio.”
The Acton campaign did not respond to The Daily Signal’s multiple requests for comment.
