Olivia Rodrigo hands flowers to Ohio governor candidate Amy Acton at Columbus concert

Pop singer Olivia Rodrigo handed flowers to Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton during a concert in Columbus on Friday night, the first of two Columbus shows on her tour. While performing "stupid song" at Ohio State University's arena, Rodrigo walked through the crowd and gave Acton the flowers, in what was described as a show of support in a close race. Rodrigo, who is touring her third album on a sold-out North American run, has said she wants Acton to be Ohio's next governor. Acton faces Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the election. Ramaswamy has agreed to multiple debates. Acton's campaign has not, saying it does not want to give him a platform and calling him a scam artist who spreads baseless lies about her and her family.

The Washington Post, the left-leaning outlet, leads with the gesture itself and with Rodrigo's stated hopes for Acton's candidacy, using the two Columbus tour stops as the setting. The right-leaning Daily Wire does not mention the concert in the text provided. It covers Acton's Thursday night appearance in Toledo, describing her delivery as slurred and exhausted, and its headline raises questions about her ahead of Election Day. It also criticizes her "Act On Lowering Costs" plan, citing child cash payments of $1,000 or more, medical debt cancellation, expanded Medicaid enrollment and union labor for data center construction, and says nobody has explained who pays. The two sides share only Acton and the race. The left piece centers a celebrity endorsement, while the right piece centers her debate refusal and policy costs. The Hill matches the Post's account and adds the venue, song and close race. Stereogum reviews the show musically.