Controversial Billboard Promotes Moving from NYC to Ohio

A new digital billboard in Times Square drew ridicule and confusion after debuting Monday, encouraging New Yorkers to consider relocating to Ohio. The ad, supporting Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial bid, portrayed Ohio as an appealing alternative amid local political tensions.

The billboard was divided into two sections. The first highlighted Zohran Mamdani, a left-leaning mayoral candidate, calling him a “radical socialist” and asking, “Ready to flee NYC?” The second half featured Ramaswamy’s smiling face with the message “Move to Ohio!” The design, which initially hid the candidates’ images behind a large wraparound banner, was later altered to display them side-by-side.

Many pedestrians found the message dismissive of the city’s vibrancy and questioned the appropriateness of the campaign stunt. One construction worker remarked, “Why would we move to Ohio? We live in New York,” while others shrugged off the billboard, indicating they were indifferent or skeptical about Ohio’s appeal. A college football player from Dayton voiced support, describing Ohio as a place with “everything so close” and a different lifestyle.

Throughout the day, the billboard’s massive size obscured the images of Mamdani and Ramaswamy together, making the campaign message less clear to passersby. Nonetheless, some locals, like Ricardo H., dismissed the ad as a “smear campaign,” indicating skepticism about the pitch to relocate.

Overall, the billboard failed to convince New Yorkers to consider Ohio as a new home, with many viewers dismissing it as poorly designed and ineffective. It’s a bold attempt to sway voters and residents despite widespread mockery and criticism.