Texas Senate Candidate Denies Mental Health Rumors After Extended Absence

Clear Facts

• James Talarico’s campaign states he was recovering from the flu at his Austin home last week.
• A social media post by Nick Sortor claimed a recording from Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio confirmed Talarico’s recent discharge.
• The Lindner Center of Hope declined to confirm or deny any patient information due to privacy policies.

James Talarico’s Senate campaign issued a direct denial Sunday afternoon regarding rumors surrounding his two-week absence from public view. Campaign spokesman JT Ennis stated the candidate was home in Austin recovering from the flu.

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

🚨 BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week

The “flu” thing was a BIG FAT LIE

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.

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 11, 2026

Speculation began after Talarico appeared remotely at a U.S. Hispanic Business Council event on September 30, announcing he had been diagnosed with the flu at a Dallas urgent care clinic. The candidate then vanished from the campaign trail for two weeks without further explanation.

Conservative commentator Nick Sortor posted an audio recording Sunday alleging a woman at the Lindner Center of Hope in Mason, Ohio, confirmed a James Talarico had been discharged from the facility earlier that week. The post described the center as specializing in around-the-clock mental health treatment.

“Okay, nothing for James Talarico?” one of the callers asked.

“Let’s see, looks, well, this is what it’s — today — looks like he was just discharged this evening,” the woman replied. “That’s why I don’t have it.”

“Oh, he was discharged then?”

“Mmhmm,” she responded. “So he should be —”

The Daily Wire has not independently verified the woman’s identity, her employment status at the facility, or the accuracy of the recording. Jennifer Pierson, a representative of the Lindner Center, confirmed the facility does not disclose patient information.

“Lindner Center of Hope respects the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals,” Pierson wrote. “We do not confirm or deny whether any individual is or has been a patient, and we do not comment on individual cases.”

The Lindner Center of Hope provides mental health evaluations and treatment for children and adults, including inpatient, outpatient, and residential programs. It is the same facility where Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo received inpatient care in 2023 for depression.

Talarico resurfaced Friday at the Austin City Limits music festival, where he filmed a promotional video with country music star Kacey Musgraves. Social media users also noted a private jet flight departing Austin Thursday night for Hamilton, Ohio, returning Friday morning.

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