Texas Senate Democrat James Talarico calls 'mental hospital' rumours 'the craziest thing I've ever heard' as facility denies he was ever treated there

Security camera footage appears to place James Talarico at his Austin home throughout a 10-day absence from campaigning, undermining a widely shared social media recording that alleged the Texas Senate candidate had admitted himself to an Ohio psychiatric facility. The Lindner Center of Hope in Mason, Ohio has stated Talarico 'never received treatment' there, and Talarico says he has never set foot in Ohio. A reporter with access to the full six-minute recording noted that a staff member repeatedly told the caller she could find no patient under his name. Since September 30, his campaign had said the diabetic candidate was dealing with a serious flu.

The clipped version went viral ahead of the hospital's denial, with Republican operatives pressing for the recording to be published immediately.

Talarico, 37, resurfaced at an Austin music festival on Friday after pulling out of events including private fundraisers — a notable development in a race seen as a possible first Democratic Texas Senate victory in decades.

In the original recording, the hospital staffer gives contradictory information, initially saying Talarico does not appear in four days of records before claiming he had been 'discharged this evening'.