POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Investigating the ‘Lower Costs Now’ Super PAC and Viral Misinformation Campaigns
The Claim Recent political discourse has been dominated by the emergence of a new Democratic-affiliated super PAC, ‘Lower Costs Now,’ which has rapidly deployed millions of dollars into...
The Claim
Recent political discourse has been dominated by the emergence of a new Democratic-affiliated super PAC, ‘Lower Costs Now,’ which has rapidly deployed millions of dollars into federal election advertising. While the group’s name suggests a singular focus on economic policy and the cost of living, public scrutiny has intensified regarding its actual campaign activities and the broader information environment surrounding its associated political figures.
Simultaneously, a separate and highly malicious viral claim has circulated online alleging that James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, was hospitalized in a mental health facility. This claim, which gained traction on social media platforms, sought to cast doubt on the candidate’s fitness for office during a critical period of the campaign cycle.
The Details & Investigation
Our investigation into ‘Lower Costs Now’ reveals it is a super PAC established in early September, with deep ties to FF PAC (formerly Future Forward USA PAC), the primary outside group that supported the 2024 Biden-Harris ticket. Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings confirm that as of October 14, the group had secured over $50 million in funding, primarily through transfers from the Senate Majority PAC (SMP) and FF PAC. While the group’s public messaging emphasizes the ‘soaring cost of everyday life,’ our analysis of AdImpact data shows that its expenditures are not limited to economic issues. For instance, the group has spent over $2.8 million on advertisements attacking Republican Senator Jon Husted with claims regarding the ‘Epstein files’—a narrative previously identified as misleading.
Regarding the viral claim concerning James Talarico, our investigation classifies this as clear DISINFORMATION. The assertion that Talarico was a patient at a mental health facility is a fabricated narrative designed to deceive voters. We have confirmed through official statements from the Ohio mental health center cited in the rumors that no such admission occurred. The candidate’s campaign provided documentation confirming that Talarico was absent from the campaign trail in early October solely due to a bout of the flu, for which he was recovering at his home in Texas.
The distinction between the activities of ‘Lower Costs Now’ and the Talarico rumors is critical. While the super PAC’s messaging may be viewed as MISINFORMATION due to its use of misleading political attacks that deviate from its stated economic mission, the Talarico claim constitutes deliberate DISINFORMATION. The latter was a coordinated attempt to manufacture a scandal using false medical records or fabricated institutional stays to damage a candidate’s reputation.
By tracking the financial flows and the origin of the Talarico rumors, it is evident that the political landscape is currently saturated with both strategic political maneuvering and bad-faith actors seeking to exploit voter sentiment through outright falsehoods. The reliance on verified FEC data and direct institutional rebuttals remains the only effective counter to these evolving threats.
The Verdict
The claim regarding James Talarico’s hospitalization in a mental health facility is rated FALSE. There is zero evidence to support this assertion, and it has been explicitly refuted by the medical facility in question and the candidate’s own verified medical timeline.
Furthermore, while ‘Lower Costs Now’ is a legitimate legal entity, its branding as a cost-of-living advocate is MISLEADING, as its actual expenditures frequently focus on aggressive, often questionable, political attacks rather than the economic policy solutions suggested by its name.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).