Conservative media figures and Fox News have been criticized for their handling of a false rumor targeting Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Following Talarico's nine-day absence from his campaign due to the flu, right-wing personalities spread a conspiracy theory alleging he had suffered a mental health episode and sought treatment at the Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio.
The rumor was amplified by figures like Nick Sortor and Rhein Amacher, who claimed to have confirmed Talarico's discharge from the facility. Talarico's Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, also attempted to leverage the false narrative. However, the hoax unraveled when photographic evidence emerged showing Talarico on stage in Texas with musician Kacey Musgraves the day before his alleged discharge. The Lindner Center of Hope also issued a statement confirming that Talarico had never received treatment there.
Despite the debunking, Fox News published an article titled, “New Evidence Debunks Talarico Psych Hospital Rumor After ‘Mind-Numbing Malpractice’ Fuels Firestorm.” The accompanying social media post suggested the more significant story was "why his campaign sat on the evidence while the conspiracy theory exploded across social media for days," implying Talarico was at fault for not quelling the rumor more quickly.
This framing drew sharp criticism from various social media users and commentators. Many argued that the focus should remain on the creators and spreaders of the false rumor, not on the victim's response time. Critics pointed out the absurdity of holding Talarico responsible for the actions of those who propagated a baseless conspiracy theory. Some suggested that the outlandish nature of the rumor ultimately backfired on its proponents, potentially inoculating Talarico against future attacks by demonstrating the willingness of his opponents to fabricate stories. Others argued that responding to every baseless rumor would consume a campaign's resources, and that the primary story is the dishonesty of the operatives who spread the lie.
Talarico currently holds a lead over Paxton in polling for the Texas Senate race, with 48.1% support compared to Paxton's 45.5%, according to RealClearPolitics.com.