Texas Senate Race Candidate James Talarico Faces Scrutiny Over Two-Week Campaign Hiatus

Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico has been absent from the campaign trail for 13 days in the lead-up to the Nov. 3 midterm elections, prompting his opponents to demand assurances of his well-being and casting doubt on his campaign's timeline.

Talarico's campaign states the candidate, 37, has been suffering from the flu since late September. He last appeared at an in-person event on September 29 and was seen on a Zoom call on September 30, where he apologized to the Hispanic Business Council for his inability to attend their meeting in person.

During the Zoom call, Talarico explained, "I was starting to feel under the weather a few days ago, and last night it got so bad that I went to the urgent care here in Dallas, and I was diagnosed with the flu. I'm running a fever and I'm my most contagious right now."

However, his prolonged absence, including the cancellation of public events and private fundraisers, has fueled speculation. A political strategist, who requested anonymity due to not being involved with Talarico's campaign, expressed concern, noting that canceling fundraising events at such a critical juncture is unusual for any candidate, particularly one in a competitive race.

Talarico is challenging Republican incumbent Ken Paxton in a Texas race that polls suggest could be a significant upset, potentially flipping a reliably red state. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has called for "proof of life," requesting a video of Talarico holding a current newspaper, details of his travel after alleged New York fundraisers, and a doctor's note from the Dallas urgent care facility.

Paxton's campaign has actively amplified Talarico's absence, tweeting, "We’ve tried posters. We’ve tried a formal proof-of-life request. Now we’re asking every Texan to join the search for Jimmy."

Among the canceled events was an October 5 engagement with Black voters in Austin, which reportedly resulted in a $25,000 loss for the organizing group due to non-refundable venue bookings.

Talarico's campaign spokesperson assured that the candidate would resume public activities over the weekend, but could not provide specific details on when or where.