Trump rallies in Chillicothe for Husted and Ramaswamy and defends the ad aimed at Acton

President Trump returned to Ohio on Wednesday for the third time this month, rallying for Sen. Jon Husted and gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy at the Shoemaker Center on Ohio University's Chillicothe campus.

Trump spoke for more than 90 minutes, WHIO-TV reported. He praised Husted and repeatedly urged the crowd to back him in the special Senate election against Democrat Sherrod Brown, according to the Scioto Valley Guardian. Husted, from the same stage, challenged voters to name something Brown had done to improve their lives.

The Acton ad

Trump defended a Ramaswamy campaign ad that features the estranged mother of Democratic nominee Amy Acton, drawing a standing ovation, WHIO reported. The ad has drawn criticism from both parties, including from Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, CBS News reported. Ramaswamy used his remarks to criticize Acton's handling of COVID-19 as state health director.

Trump also spoke about immigration, crime, taxes and the state's voter ID ballot measure. A few hecklers were removed, and small groups protested outside, the Guardian reported.

Where the race stands

Sources: Forbes, Fox News, CBS News.

More than $400 million had been spent or reserved in the Ohio Senate race as of Oct. 8, Al Jazeera reported, citing Axios. Husted was appointed to the seat Vance left to become vice president.