Coverage dated October 13, 2026 to October 15, 2026

How Ken Paxton and allies fanned a false conspiracy to convince voters James Talarico was mentally unfit

Headline from Texas Tribune

While James Talarico was recovering from the flu, Paxton supporters said the Democrat was being treated for mental illness in Ohio. The debunked story was shared by White House officials, Elon Musk and social media influencers.

Texas Tribune's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Reports & sources

2 articles, oldest first.

  1. Texas Tribune

    How Ken Paxton and allies fanned a false conspiracy to convince voters James Talarico was mentally unfit (opens Texas Tribune)

    Published

    Texas Tribune's feed description

    While James Talarico was recovering from the flu, Paxton supporters said the Democrat was being treated for mental illness in Ohio. The debunked story was shared by White House officials, Elon Musk and social media influencers.

  2. Salon

    How Paxton and allies fanned a false conspiracy to convince voters Talarico was mentally unfit (opens Salon)

    Published

    Salon's feed description

    Talarico was recovering from flu. Paxton supporters said the Democrat was being treated for mental illness