India, Oct. 12 -- Conservative commentators Benny Johnson and Nick Sortor have raised questions about Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico's nearly two-week absence from public campaign events, sharing an audio recording they say links him to an Ohio mental health facility.

Talarico's campaign has said he was recovering from the flu.

The recording, shared by Sortor and fellow commentator Rhein Amacher, reportedly captures a phone call to the Lindner Center of Hope in Mason, Ohio.

During the call, a woman appears to say, "It looks like he was just discharged this evening."

The recording has circulated online as evidence supporting claims about Talarico's absence. However, the woman's identity and role at the facility have n...