Talarico Describes Reading ‘Crazy’ Conspiracy Theories About Himself: ‘I Learned… That I Had Died’

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico opened up about the “crazy” conspiracy theories circulating about him, including one claiming he had died.

The remarks come after a baseless rumor that the Texas state representative had secretly checked into a psychiatric facility in Ohio spread across right-wing social media. The speculation erupted after Talarico spent nine days off the campaign trail, with his team attributing his absence to the flu. The conspiracy theory was later debunked after his campaign provided time-stamped security footage to The New York Times showing the Democrat at his Austin home during the period in question.

Talarico was the subject of a Wednesday CNN & Jubilee Town Hall. Though the network invited the state’s Republican Senate candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, he never responded.

Nevertheless, the event’s host, CNN’s Erin Burnett, promptly asked about the “wild” claims on Talarico’s whereabouts, clarifying, “Was the flu the only reason you were out?”

“Yes,” the Democrat confirmed while laughing.

“Is there anything you’d do differently now when you look back at the nine days that you weren’t on the trail?” Burnett pressed.

“No,” Talarico insisted, continuing:

I think the responsible thing to do when you have something like the flu is to stay home and to not get other people sick, and I was able to work remotely from home.

But you’re right. I mean, that decision to stay home for a week sent my opponent and his conspiracy theorists spiraling. I opened up social media and learned that I apparently had dropped out of the race, had flown to a mental hospital in Ohio, that I had died. This is crazy!

I mean, these false claims got millions of views online, and this is an example of what I call the rage economy. Conspiracy theorists can post anything they want on the internet. They get clicks. The billionaires who own these platforms get rich. We all get angry, and nobody’s life gets any better. Conspiracy theories don’t put food on the table. They don’t put gas in the tank. They don’t actually improve our communities or improve our country, and so I’m gonna stay focused on the very real problems that are facing Texans.

Watch above on CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!