Former GOP political consultant and veteran pollster Frank Luntz says the state of American politics appears to have reached its worst point yet, lamenting “how low we have sunk.” His remarks come in response to a campaign ad released by Vivek Ramaswamy targeting Amy Acton in the Ohio gubernatorial race, which provoked a major backlash after details emerged about Acton’s estranged relationship with her mother.

Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur who ran for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and Acton, a Democratic candidate and physician who served as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, are competing in the 2026 race to succeed term-limited Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

Critics accused Ramaswamy of attempting to weaponize the childhood sexual abuse Acton suffered at the hands of her mother’s then-husband — abuse that led authorities to remove Acton from her mother’s care. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance are not in opposition to the ad.

Despite being a reported longtime ally of the Republican Party, Luntz did not hold back, offering harsh words and a stark warning in response to the recent events. The criticism carries added weight coming from Luntz, who built his career conducting focus groups that measure how voters respond to campaign ads and political messaging. “There’s a reason why I’ve become so opposed to our election process as it currently stands,” Luntz wrote in a lengthy post on X.

He said he does not understand how degrading things have gotten, in his eyes and in the eyes of many. “It’s more than our ugly tone. It’s more than our disrespect of each other,” he wrote. In his view, the strategy behind modern campaigning amounts to slander. “All the tools of electioneering are now being used to mislead rather than enlighten. They are being used to destroy rather than to build,” he continued, before pointing directly to the controversial ad as an example.

“The best example of this is the Ohio gubernatorial ad — I believe it will have an impact. In fact, I’m sure of it. But it’s a horrible example of how low we have sunk,” he noted. “When people ask me to analyze an ad, they’re not asking for my opinion. They’re asking me for the impact it will have on voters. And that’s exactly what I try to give them. This is different.”

Luntz said he believes the ad represents an important shift in political history — one he expects will serve as a cautionary lesson for years to come. “I think this ad will be taught in schools for decades about just how toxic our politics have turned,” he added. The Ohio gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2026.

As his post made the rounds, other voices joined in agreement with his assessment. “Thank you Frank Luntz for being a Republican with integrity. I appreciate you taking a stand for decency. The candidate who will do anything to acquire power, will be an office holder who will do anything to retain power,” commented Reverend Dr. Richard Lyon, a psychotherapist and Presbyterian minister.

The Brookings Institution’s Jessica Riedl commented, “I’ll add to Frank’s disgust with this: As a beltway policy geek & campaign veteran, I recommend assuming that every campaign ads’ characterization of an opponent’s policy views & past votes is totally false. Bc 90% of the time you’ll be proven right. They are meant to deceive.”