Ohio gubernatorial candidate speaks out after man arrested for alleged confrontation at fair
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton made her first public comments Monday after a man was arrested for allegedly "pushing his way" toward her as she was speaking at a local fair.
"Yes, we had a rough day yesterday," Acton said at a Labor Day parade in Cleveland. "I am so thankful to our first responders and our state highway patrol and everyone who helped out the people who were injured, and our prayers are with them."
Acton was speaking Sunday at the Canfield Fair in Canfield, Ohio -- located near her hometown of Youngstown, around 60 miles outside of Cleveland -- when a man allegedly knocked two people to the ground before being taken into custody, according to the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office.
"After his arrest, two handguns and a set of 'brass knuckles' were recovered," a sheriff's office spokesperson said in a statement Sunday. "Investigators say no weapons were ever brandished or even removed from their holsters."
The suspect, identified by authorities as 38-year-old Patrick Havas, was booked at the Mahoning County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Acton was not harmed, according to the OSHP, members of whom were with Acton at the time as part of her protective unit.
Acton said in her remarks Monday that she is fighting for "our common humanity" in her campaign, adding that she sees fatigue from political divide when out on the campaign trail.
"Everywhere I go, it doesn't know party. Everyone is showing up, and they're exhausted of the hate and the chaos and the vitriol and the purposely being pitted against one another," she said. "I can tell you, I've never been anywhere two-and-a-half years where people don't tear up while I'm speaking. We're exhausted. I can tell you, I'm in for this fight. I'm a scrappy kid, but they're making a big mistake when they mistake kindness for weakness."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement on Sunday that the alleged incident occurred when a "man tried to forcefully push himself toward Dr. Acton as she was speaking and injured other attendees at the Mahoning County Democrat booth."
"Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable," DeWine said in a statement on social media Sunday, adding that he and his wife spoke with Acton and "she said to share with Ohioans that she is OK."
Acton previously served under DeWine when he appointed her as director of the Ohio Department of Health in 2019.
She is now running for governor in the November general election against Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy, whose campaign also issued a statement Sunday.
"Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence," Ramaswamy's communications director, Connie Luck, said in a statement. "What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt."
Ramaswamy was also scheduled to appear at the Canfield Fair Sunday afternoon. His campaign did not immediately respond to questions from ABC News about whether the event took place.
