Smears, confusion, and white powder: a week in the US midterm campaign

This week in US politics, a candidate with the flu fell victim to a false rumor, a campaign ad aired in the wrong city, and packages with suspicious powder were mailed to election officials.

This week in US politics, a candidate with the flu fell victim to a false rumor, a campaign ad aired in the wrong city, and packages with suspicious powder were mailed to election officials.

Here are some campaign highlights compiled by AFP ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections.

James Talarico, the Democratic Senate candidate from Texas, denied rumors that he had been secretly hospitalized in an Ohio psychiatric facility, calling it "the craziest thing I've ever heard."

The 37-year-old candidate, who is neck-and-neck in a race in the Republican stronghold, actually had the flu, causing him to withdraw from campaign events for about a week.

Online conspiracy theories posted on social media by prominent right-wing users claimed Talarico was at an Ohio clinic because he had a mental health crisis.

The posts were amplified by his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, and tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The facility in question confirmed that the candidate had never been there.

Talarico pointed out that he had participated in campaign events via videoconference while suffering from the flu and also attended a concert in Dallas during the time in question.

The episode was "a good reminder that you can't believe everything you read on the internet," Talarico said.

A Republican campaign committee spent over $25,000 to run an ad against a Democratic candidate -- in the wrong state.

The ad was shown in Portland, Oregon, not in Portland, Maine, on the other side of the country.

The advertising agency has since acknowledged its mistake and refunded the money.

The team of Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson, targeted by these ads, was quick to seize the opportunity.