Ohio Facility Debunks Rumor Tying James Talarico to 1 Mental Health Center
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 12
Ohio Facility Debunks Rumor Tying James Talarico to 1 Mental Health Center
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 12
Summary
An Ohio mental health facility said Sunday that James Talarico was never treated there, rebutting a false claim that spread online after the Texas Democratic Senate nominee vanished from the campaign trail for more than a week.
Millions of views piled up on an X post promoted by Republican allies of his opponent, Ken Paxton, after Talarico's aides said he was sidelined by a bad case of the flu.
Talarico, who resumed campaigning Friday, said he had "never even been to Ohio," and his campaign provided home security images that The New York Times said showed him at home between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8.
The flare-up underscores how a 9-day absence in one of 2026's most expensive Senate races quickly became a misinformation test for a contest that could help decide control of the chamber.