Acton’s campaign used the situation to paint Ramaswamy as untrustworthy, but he painted her characterization as political warfare.

In a press release, Acton spokeswoman Addie Bullock ripped Ramaswamy, targeting his public safety plans.

“Vivek Ramaswamy’s personal bodyguard pleading guilty to federal drug trafficking charges for fentanyl and meth is just the latest example of how Ohioans cannot trust billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy to keep their families safe,” Bullock said. “If these are the type of people he surrounds himself with, how can Ohioans trust him to stand up for public safety and be tough on crime?”

In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Ramaswamy’s campaign applauded law enforcement and pointed to how the former bodyguard also put his family at risk.

“Vivek’s family was deeply disturbed by this incident, and Vivek has zero tolerance for conduct that jeopardizes the safety of his family or our communities,” Connie Luck, spokeswoman for the Ramaswamy campaign, said. “They terminated the third-party firm immediately, and Vivek’s family is grateful for the State Highway Patrol’s protection going forward. Shame on the Democrats for trying to politicize the safety of his young family.”

As Ramaswamy fielded attacks from his opponent over the arrest, new reports emerged of an episode in which Acton’s daughter called 911 because “mom has been drinking and throwing things.” According to a 911 call log reported by conservative commentator Laura Loomer, Acton’s daughter called emergency services due to a fight between the then-Ohio health director and her husband.

In an accompanying report filed by responding officers, Acton allegedly attempted to drive off but was stopped by her husband. The report also notes that Acton said she had taken prescription medication,

Ramaswamy responded to Loomer’s reporting, calling out the lack of “mainstream” reporting on the incident and claiming that if a Republican were the subject, then the conversation would be different.

“They’re more focused on covering it up rather than covering the news, dismissing the latest as a one-off incident rather than a repeated pattern of behavior dating back over a decade,” he said. “Let’s see how they respond now after learning that Acton lied to their faces.”

The Washington Examiner contacted Acton’s campaign for comment.

MUSK DUMPS $5 MILLION IN RAMASWAMY’S CAMPAIGN DESPITE DOGE FALLOUT

The competitors’ jabs come as new polling released Friday shows Ramaswamy with a narrow lead in the toss-up race. According to a poll conducted by Fox News, the Republican leads Acton by 2 percentage points, a slight increase from earlier polling that showed a 50-49 split.