DeWine defends Acton, says she is not responsible for the COVID-19 lockdowns
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine defended Democratic gubernatorial nominee and former state health director Amy Acton on Dec. 11, saying people should not blame her for the state’s actions during COVID-19 because he was ultimately responsible for everything.
“The buck stops with me,” DeWine said, according to NBC 4. “I got advice from her. I got advice from people around the country.”
He said that he was “trying to get as much information” as he could about “something that we did not know much about,” which resulted in making those kinds of decisions.
Acton’s Republican opponent in the race, Vivek Ramaswamy, previously criticized her for Ohio’s response to COVID-19, calling her “Lockdown Amy” and “Dr. Lockdown,” as Ohio.News previously reported.
“Dr. Lockdown caused Ohio to be the *first* state to shut down our public schools & lied about the COVID death rates to justify it, even as private schools stayed open,” he wrote on X. “Those kids in our public schools will never get those years back, while @amyactonoh preaches about ‘inequality.’”
Dr. Lockdown caused Ohio to be the *first* state to shut down our public schools & lied about the COVID death rates to justify it, even as private schools stayed open. Those kids in our public schools will never get those years back, while @amyactonoh preaches about “inequality.” https://t.co/yhlxfdIBwi
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 26, 2025
Ramaswamy’s spokesperson, Connie Luck, also criticized Acton by saying that “she led Ohio to be the first state to shut down public schools during COVID, causing thousands of students to suffer from mental health and academic consequences.”
NBC 4 reported that, as state health director, she was responsible for signing orders to close businesses and other spaces, a power that DeWine gave her. Acton stepped away from the job in June 2020.
State Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, previously attempted to limit executive powers after everything was shut down due to COVID-19, saying that Acton, “with callous indifference to personal freedoms,” was responsible for everything that happened in 2020.
“We love the governor — he’s not a scientist, he’s not a medical doctor,” Alex Triantafilou, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, told NBC 4. “He relied on her, and she got it wrong.”
The news came after DeWine refused to endorse Ramaswamy for governor right away, saying he needed to talk with him more.
“I hope to have some more discussions about policy with him. I fully expect to endorse the Republican nominee for governor sometime in the future,” he said, adding that he wants to “get a better understanding of his positions” and “what his vision is.”
One potential reason DeWine has not yet endorsed Ramaswamy is his declining popularity. A recent Emerson College poll shows Ramaswamy trailing Acton by one percentage point.
