A viral recording that threatened to disrupt the Texas Senate race is now facing serious questions after an Ohio mental health facility denied ever treating Democratic candidate James Talarico.
The audio, which amassed more than six million views on X, was posted by pro-Trump influencer Nick Sortor. It appeared to capture a woman answering the phone at Ohio’s Lindner Center of Hope and saying that someone named Talarico had been discharged that evening.
Sortor argued that the recording showed Talarico had misled voters by claiming he had the flu while away from the campaign trail for nearly two weeks.
The center directly rejected that claim in a statement issued Sunday, saying: “Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope.”
Talarico also denied the allegation, writing on X: “I’ve never even been to Ohio.”
The dispute has placed renewed focus on the recording’s authenticity and context. It had been promoted online as evidence that the Democrat secretly underwent mental health treatment.
The caller was identified as pro-Trump activist Rhein Amacher.
Amacher said he called the facility. In the 47-second excerpt initially shared by Sortor, a woman appears to say that someone named James Talarico had been discharged that evening.
Trump influencer Nick Sortor alleged Texas Senate Democratic nominee James Talarico was admitted to the Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio, a mental health facility
Sortor posted a clip on X purporting to show a phone call between a hospital receptionist and pro-Trump activist Rhein Amacher. The receptionist allegedly said Talarico had been discharged that evening
Elon Musk commented on the Talarico hospital narrative in several X posts, writing: “The Talarico campaign is hiding something big that voters ought to know about”
The audio itself does not establish that Talarico was ever a patient, while the facility’s public statement directly contradicts Sortor’s interpretation.
The clip circulated online runs for roughly 45 seconds, but The Bulwark reported that Amacher’s call logs indicate the conversation lasted about six minutes. During the call, the receptionist reportedly repeated that no one named James Talarico was at the facility.
She then said: “Looks like he was just discharged this evening, that’s why I don’t have it.”
Republican Ken Paxton’s campaign has remained notably quiet about the episode. Paxton’s campaign did not respond to Our News Outlet’s request for comment.
Independent journalist Laura Bassett said Elon Musk had suspended an account claiming that Sortor’s recording of the call to the Ohio facility was AI-generated. She also accused X of preventing Community Notes from appearing on Sortor’s post.
Bassett alleged that the platform was attempting to keep the controversy alive, writing: “It’s all hands on deck trying to make the fake Talarico story stick.”
Musk addressed the hospital narrative in several posts on X, writing: “The Talarico campaign is hiding something big that voters ought to know about.”
The facility’s denial has nevertheless cast substantial doubt on the claim that the recording confirmed Talarico had been hospitalized.
Talarico campaign spokesman JT Ennis described the allegation as “a lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory” and said the Democrat had been recovering at home in Austin, Texas.
In an interview with NBC 5, Talarico said he had visited his primary care physician, rested and avoided public appearances because he didn’t want to spread the flu.
The recording emerged after nearly two weeks of speculation over Talarico’s whereabouts, with Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton and President Donald Trump publicly questioning his absence.
Talarico was not seen for nearly two weeks, saying he had caught the flu
Talarico reemerged at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Friday
Talarico attended country singer Kacey Musgraves’ set on Saturday evening
Talarico’s last public appearance before his illness was on September 26.
He participated virtually in a candidate forum on September 30 but did not return to an in-person public appearance until October 9, when he was seen at the Austin City Limits music festival.
Paxton seized on the absence, leading rallygoers in a ‘Where is James Talarico?’ chant at a Trump rally in San Antonio on October 7.
His campaign also circulated missing-person posters featuring Talarico’s photograph in locations across Texas and online.
Paxton promoted the posters on social media and launched a ‘Tala-Freak-Out Tip Line’ asking Texans to report sightings of his rival.
Trump piled on, describing Talarico as ‘MISSING IN ACTION’ in a Truth Social post and challenging him to appear on a debate stage against Paxton.
Talarico’s return to public view added another wrinkle to the timeline of his alleged hospital stay.
Paxton’s Republican allies, including Trump and Senator Ted Cruz, chimed in on Talarico’s disappearance
His spokesman shared footage of the Democrat at the festival, writing, ‘Hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with voters at ACL today.’
Talarico was also reported at a Kacey Musgraves concert in Dallas on Saturday, October 10.
Amacher said he made the call to the Ohio facility on Saturday evening, after Talarico had been seen in Austin the previous day.
