A spokesperson for Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) raged at MAGA influencers Sunday for promoting the wild theory that instead of being off the campaign trail due to the flu, he was locked inside a mental hospital in Ohio.

Talarico’s opponent, AG Ken Paxton (R-TX) began sewing the seeds of doubt about Talarico’s illness, which was blown up earlier in the day by MAGA influencer Nick Sortor.

Sortor posted Sunday,  “Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week The “flu” thing was a BIG FAT LIE.”

Sortor continued:

Following reporting by @SaraGonzalesTX and @CarolineWren, a hospital employee told @RheinAmacher and I that Talarico had in fact been a patient at the Lindner Center of Hope near Cincinnati, Ohio, which specializes in around-the-clock mental health treatment. While I sympathize with those dealing with mental health crises, this man is CLEARLY not suited to become a US Senator representing over 30 MILLION TEXANS. The job doesn’t get easier after being elected — it only gets MORE stressful. And Talarico clearly can’t handle it. I pray he gets the help he needs, but Texans need a real representative they can rely on.

While I sympathize with those dealing with mental health crises, this man is CLEARLY not suited to become a US Senator representing over 30 MILLION TEXANS. The job doesn’t get easier after being elected — it only gets MORE stressful. And Talarico clearly can’t handle it. I pray he gets the help he needs, but Texans need a real representative they can rely on.

Sortor then posted alleged audio from the Lindner Center of Hope for “confirmation.”

Talarico spokesperson JT Ennis responded to Sortor, posting, “This is a lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory. Last week James Talarico was home in Austin, Texas recovering from the flu.”

In addition, Texas Tribune reporter Kayla Guo reported Friday, “A Type I diabetic, Talarico said Sept. 30 he was diagnosed with the flu. Ken Paxton has ripped him for his absence from the trail over the past few days and cast doubt on the flu diagnosis.”

Regardless, MAGA went wild with Sortor’s post.

DC Draino wrote, “Whoa. Talarico was caught being discharged from a mental hospital in Ohio.

Eric Daugherty with @FLVoiceNews wrote, “HOLY CRAP! James Talarico BUSTED for being discharged from a MENTAL HOSPITAL in Ohio —@NickSortor/@RheinAmacher. He was at the Lindner Center of Hope. NO FLU!! EMPLOYEE: “He was just discharged.” Talarico is done. Drop out. He cannot be a United States senator! And he LIED this ENTIRE TIME. Is ANYONE surprised the guy who loves trans kids and drag queens has issues like this? The Senate is not a mental health rehab center! UNFIT FOR OFFICE. Ken Paxton will win.”

Other MAGA reactions came from Laura Loomer and Turning Point USA’s Andrew Kolvet :

MAGA critics hit back at Sortor, pointing out the serious HIPAA patient privacy violations that would be committed if a mental hospital released such information:

In related news, Talarico has a healthy lead on Paxton in most polls tracked by The New York Times.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!