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Democratic Texas state Representative James Talarico has been absent from in-person campaign events for 12 days due to illness, raising concerns among fellow Democrats as his race against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton enters its final stretch. Talarico’s campaign says he contracted the flu and expects him to return to the trail this weekend.
Talarico Steps Back From Campaign Trail
Talarico’s last in-person event in Texas took place on September 26. He then traveled to New York on September 29 for a private fundraiser. According to virtual remarks he later delivered to the Hispanic Business Council, he returned to Dallas afterward and visited urgent care.
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His campaign spokesman JT Ennis defended the absence. “After holding more than 100 public events and shaking tens of thousands of hands, James came down with the flu but will be back on the trail this weekend,” Ennis said. Talarico has continued to participate in some events virtually during his recovery.
The timing is difficult for Democrats. Many believe Talarico’s strongest asset is his ability to connect with voters face to face. His absence comes at a moment when campaigns typically see the highest voter engagement before election day.
Paxton Campaign Demands Proof of Life
Paxton’s campaign has seized on the situation. Campaign spokeswoman Madison Cercy called on Talarico to produce a photo of himself holding a newspaper with the current date. “We have a simple request: proof of life,” Cercy said.
Cercy added that Talarico’s absence raised questions about his fitness for office. “James Talarico wants to represent 31 million Texans in the U.S. Senate, but for 12 days, he’s hidden from every one of them,” she said. “If James Talarico is too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote.”
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in at a Wednesday rally in San Antonio. “You haven’t seen him in a couple of weeks,” Trump told the crowd. “I hear the guy has disappeared. He’s sick, because he’s forced to eat meat for political reasons and he’s throwing up all over the place.” Trump later posted on Truth Social demanding that Talarico appear on a debate stage against Paxton immediately.
Democrats Remain Cautiously Optimistic
Some Texas Democrats are downplaying the situation. Democratic strategist Ed Espinoza acknowledged that supporters had noticed Talarico’s absence. However, he argued that the campaign’s advertising spend largely offsets the lost visibility.
“Look, he’s got like $80 million of ads going right now,” Espinoza said. “He may be recovering at home, but he is still everywhere.” Espinoza also said he would rather Talarico recover fully now than remain unwell even closer to election day.
Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder was more candid. He admitted Paxton “caught a little bit of a break” because of the absence. “It’s certainly not ideal, but we want to make sure he does everything he needs to make sure that he’s healthy and ready to go,” Scudder said. “He’s a phenomenal candidate, he’s been working really hard for a long time, and everyone gets sick every now and then.”
Debate Dispute Adds Another Layer
The situation took an ironic turn after Trump’s rally. Talarico has repeatedly challenged Paxton to debate throughout the campaign. After Trump publicly called for a debate, Talarico responded on social media.
“President Trump just said Ken Paxton should debate,” Talarico wrote. “I agree. Ball’s in your court @KenPaxtonTX.”
Meanwhile, damaging audio recordings featuring Paxton have also surfaced. The recordings include Paxton suggesting that Trump’s midterm convention was unhelpful and that cuts to mandatory spending were inevitable. Those revelations have drawn significant public attention and provided some relief for Democrats during an otherwise difficult news cycle.
The Texas Senate race remains one of the most closely watched contests in the country. Democrats believe the seat is within reach for the first time in decades. Both campaigns are now pushing hard toward election day, with Talarico expected to resume in-person events shortly.
