Kelly Eull

For those who follow the daily polls and political trends, the floor may have just fallen out from under the Republican campaign for Ohio Governor. And any Republican who fails to distance themselves from this ad risks taking on water as well. I have to give Jon Husted credit. He said he would not have run the ad. That was the right response. While he stopped short of outright condemning it, he made his position clear. Vivek Ramaswamy needs to pivot, and quickly. Stop defending the ad and start talking about his policies, his vision for Ohio, and why he believes he is the better candidate. If he chooses to double down, I don't see anything good coming from it. Here's what too many people in politics seem to forget: Voters don't always elect the most qualified candidate. They often elect the candidate they like, trust, relate to, or even sympathize with. You can have the strongest résumé, the best policies, and the most impressive background, but none of that guarantees victory if voters don't like what they see or hear. And when voters believe someone has been treated unfairly, sympathy can become a powerful political force. Elections aren't won simply by convincing voters that your opponent is worse. They're won by convincing voters that you're better. That is a lesson every candidate, Republican or Democrat, would be wise to remember.