According to the Associated Press, on September 6 local time, Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, was attacked by a gunman during a campaign rally in Campfield, Ohio. Acton's campaign team stated that several people were injured in the incident.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said in a statement, "A man attempted to rush towards Aketon as he was giving a speech and injured other participants at a Democratic rally in Mahoning County. Law enforcement officers in Ohio responded quickly." Chris Anderson, president of the Democrats in Mahoning County, stated that the suspect has been arrested and "multiple weapons" were found on him.
According to reports, Axton herself was not injured, but her campaign team revealed that several people were injured at the scene.
After this incident, DeWain emphasized that the occurrence of violence or threats of violence in political or public events is “absolutely unacceptable.” Eddie Brock, the communications director of the Axton campaign team, issued a statement saying: “Axton will always stand up against chaos, hatred, and malicious rhetoric that divides us.”
File photo: Amy Acton, candidate for Governor of Ohio, Democrat. Associated Press
Akton's opponent, Republican candidate Vejvak Ramaswami, also stated that the attack is unacceptable. Connie Lak, the team's communications director, said, "Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence. This incident is completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated in politics. We hope that no one was injured."
The Associated Press reports that the United States will hold mid-term elections in November this year. All electoral campaigns have entered the final six weeks of their “race for the top spot”. The race for the position of Ohio governor is one of the most notable elections.
Democratic candidate for governor, Axton, was an associate professor of public health at The Ohio State University and led the Ohio Department of Health. He is considered a representative of the state in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Republican candidate for governor, Lammaswami, is an entrepreneur who has a close relationship with U.S. President Trump. He has raised record-breaking campaign funds due to his fame and industry connections.
