A political clash erupted after Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy posted a video outlining ideas to lower costs for families. In the video, titled “Here’s how Republicans win in 2026,” he listed several suggestions. One of them was unexpected. Ramaswamy said schools should become year-round and stay open until 4 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. He explained that this change would make parenting more affordable by reducing the need for childcare.
The full video went live on Monday afternoon. It stayed up for several hours before Ramaswamy deleted it and replaced it with a new version. The updated version removed the year-round school proposal completely. However, the original video still remained visible on his Threads account. No official reason was given for editing it.
That night, the removed clip was posted on X by Dr. Amy Acton, the Democrat running against him in the 2026 Ohio governor race. Her post brought immediate attention, as social media users noticed the clip highlighted a proposal that Ramaswamy had chosen to remove from most of his platforms.
MAGA Figures Claim the Clip Is AI
Once Acton’s post spread online, several MAGA voices argued the video was not real. They insisted it had been created using artificial intelligence. Jack Posobiec reacted by saying Acton had fallen for “AI videos.” Gabe Guidarini, chairman of the Ohio College Republican Federation, wrote that any candidate who shares what he called “AI-altered videos” should face major financial penalties. Nick Adams joined the discussion as well, simply declaring, “This is AI.”
Their claims caused a wave of confusion. Many users pushed back, noting that the clip matched the original footage Ramaswamy himself had uploaded earlier in the day. The only difference was that he later deleted that section from other platforms.
The debate grew louder when Acton’s campaign stepped in. Her campaign manager, Philip Stein, criticized the year-round school idea as damaging to school budgets and out of touch with Ohio families. He also remarked that “even his own supporters think his videos are AI,” referring to the MAGA reactions.
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Ramaswamy did not respond to requests for comment at the time, leaving open questions about why he removed the proposal and why the edited version left out only that part.
Background and Political Reactions
Ramaswamy had never supported year-round school before this video. His campaign website focuses on children gaining strong skills in reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. In past statements, he supported raising academic standards, using AI in classrooms, expanding school choice, and helping kids improve literacy. The idea of extending the school year did not appear in any earlier proposals.
Ramaswamy is well known nationally. He ran for president in 2024 as a far-right, “anti-woke” candidate. After finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses, he ended his campaign but stayed aligned with Donald Trump. When Trump entered office, he selected Ramaswamy to help lead DOGE, a government efficiency effort planned alongside Elon Musk. Ramaswamy stepped away from DOGE on Trump’s first day in office to focus on the Ohio governor’s race. Rumors suggested Musk pushed him out, but Ramaswamy denied those claims.
The resurfaced clip, its deletion, and the MAGA claims of AI quickly turned the proposal into a central topic of debate. The reaction showed how fast political messages can shift online and how quickly accusations of artificial intelligence can take over public discussion.
