James Talarico, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate for Texas’ 50th District, has denied reports that he was recently discharged from a mental health facility.
An employee at Ohio’s Lindner Center of Hope confirmed to independent journalist Nick Sortor that Talarico had been discharged “this evening” but checked out. The center stated on social media: “Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope.”
Talarico told Lone Star Politics anchor Phil Prazan he took time off from campaigning against Republican candidate Ken Paxton to recover from the flu, stating: “I got the flu and I’m feeling much better.” He added that he went to his primary care doctor for treatment and stayed home to avoid spreading illness.
Talarico has repeatedly denied any connection to the Lindner Center of Hope on social media, writing: “I’ve never even been to Ohio 😂.”
Polls indicate Talarico leads Paxton by 2.8 percent according to recent averages. Additionally, Talarico has made public statements on religious topics, including an interpretation of Genesis that describes God as non-binary, and comments supporting policies such as defunding police.