Democrat James Talarico totally sassed rumor-mongering GOP foe Ken Paxton on Sunday before their Texas showdown for U.S. senator next month.

Paxton’s team glommed on to conservative scuttlebutt that Talarico had a mental health episode instead of simply nursing the flu for several days off the campaign trail.

In an interview with Phil Prazan of NBC’s Dallas affiliate, Talarico reconfirmed he had the flu and shoved a proverbial boot up his scandal-ridden opponent’s you-know-what.

The subject came around to President Donald Trump declaring that Paxton, the Texas attorney general, should debate Talarico ― which the former has avoided so far.

“I hear that people are getting really concerned about the attorney general,” Talarico said. “I’ve heard rumors that he has a rare medical condition that causes clinical levels of cowardice.”

He wasn’t done.

“So I know Ken Paxton has asked for proof of life from me,” Talarico said. “I’m asking for proof of spine from him.”

I spoke with Rep. James Talarico earlier today in Dallas. I ask him about: -getting the flu -the claim he was getting treatment for a stress-induced episode -a debate update More tonight at 5 and 10 pm. pic.twitter.com/uqhaXHcmtv

MAGA influencer Nick Sortor even reported that Talarico was being treated at a mental health hospital in Ohio. The facility denied it and a Talarico rep called it a “pathetic conspiracy theory.” Then Talarico chimed in online that he had never even been to Ohio.

But Paxton’s team had already hitched a ride on the unproven whispers. “Low-T Jimmy appears to be having a full-blown mental Tala-freak-out on the national stage,” a Paxton spokesperson said, per the Texas Tribune. “If James Talarico is too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote.”

Talarico leads in many polls, according to a New York Times aggregation.

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