The midterm elections are only a few weeks away, and yet Texas nominee James Talarico has apparently picked one of the worst periods to be absent. Now his rival, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is turning Talarico’s nearly two-week absence from the campaign trail into a political weapon, questioning the candidate’s whereabouts as the November midterms approach.
Paxton led supporters in a “Where is Talarico?” chant during President Donald Trump’s rally in San Antonio on October 7, and on October 8, he posted a mockery of Talarico’s absence on his own X account. The Republican has escalated his attacks online, with his campaign distributing mock missing-person posters and demanding “proof of life” from the Democratic nominee. Paxton also accused Talarico of “having a full-blown mental Tala-freak-out on the national stage.”
President Trump even joined the pile-on, describing Talarico as “MISSING IN ACTION” in a Truth Social post and calling on him to debate Paxton. “12 days is a long time to rid yourself of the so-called flu bug. What’s going on?” Trump wrote Thursday, questioning the Democrat’s explanation for his absence. Talarico’s campaign, however, says the candidate has been recovering from influenza. He revealed his diagnosis on September 30 after seeking treatment at an urgent care facility in Dallas.
“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,” campaign spokesperson JT Ennis said. Talarico’s last public appearance in Texas was September 26, when he called for suspending federal fuel taxes and ending the war with Iran. His campaign also confirmed that he attended a private New York City fundraiser featuring actor Robert De Niro on September 28.
Paxton’s Mockery Has Raised Eyebrows
Talarico’s spokesperson has pushed back against Paxton’s criticism, noting that Talarico had challenged the Republican to debate him repeatedly. “It’s been 83 days since James challenged Ken Paxton to come out of hiding and answer Texans’ questions in a debate,” Ennis said. “Ball is in Paxton’s court.” The controversy has also fueled heated reactions online, with some users backing Paxton’s demands while others accused him of avoiding the debate himself.
“Demand he show up for a debate. That’d fix him good,” one commenter wrote. Another questioned the Republican’s strategy, asking, “This the only thing you have to run on?” A third defended Talarico, writing, “He had the flu, ya jerk.” Others mocked Paxton for demanding proof of his opponent’s whereabouts while refusing to accept Talarico’s repeated debate challenges. One user wrote, “He’ll meet you on the debate floor.”
Some have supported Paxton’s jabs, with another commenter offering a sarcastic explanation for the absence, asking, “Maybe he is hiding with Joe Biden?” With Election Day less than four weeks away, the dispute intensifies as the two candidates compete for the Senate seat currently held by Republican John Cornyn. A recent New York Times poll showed Talarico leading Paxton by six percentage points, adding urgency to a contest that could have national implications.
