Talarico’s 12-day absence from trail becomes fodder for GOP in Texas Senate race

By Arlette Saenz, CNN

(CNN) — James Talarico has been absent from the campaign trail over the past 12 days as the Texas Senate race enters a critical stretch, prompting Republicans to open a new line of attack on the Democratic nominee.

At a campaign rally in San Antonio Wednesday, Texas attorney general and GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton led the crowd in a chant about his opponent’s whereabouts.

“Where is James Talarico?” Paxton prompted the crowd to ask.

Paxton’s campaign has also drawn attention to the topic in social media posts in recent days, and President Donald Trump has jumped into the debate on Truth Social, describing Talarico as “MISSING IN ACTION.”

Talarico’s campaign said the Texas Democrat is recovering from the flu.

“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,” said JT Ennis, a spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign, on Thursday. “Ken Paxton has been ignoring Texans this entire campaign, and his priorities are clear: He doesn’t answer to the people of this state — he answers to his billionaire megadonors and special interests.”

Talarico revealed his flu diagnosis September 30 when he spoke virtually with the United States Hispanic Business Council, an event he was supposed to attend in person.

“I was starting to feel kind of 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,” Talarico told the crowd gathered in Edinburg, Texas, over video conference. “I’m running a fever, and I’m at my most contagious right now, and I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail and so I want to keep everybody safe.”

Talarico’s last public appearance in Texas took place on September 26 when he held a press conference on suspending the federal gas and diesel tax and ending the war with Iran.

“This is the kind of immediate action we need to provide Texans some relief at the pump in the middle of this affordability crisis,” Talarico said at a gas station in Carrollton, Texas.

Talarico reportedly was scheduled to attend a fundraiser in New York City featuring actor Robert De Niro two days later.

During this time stretch, Paxton has made several campaign trail stops, including speaking at Trump’s rally in San Antonio on Wednesday. Paxton has spoken at four other campaign events, including a conversation with the USHBC, and was on hand at the president’s event in Denton. At that stop, Trump said he didn’t even know Paxton was there and jokingly called him a “pain in the ass.”

In a Truth Social post Wednesday night, Trump questioned Talarico’s whereabouts and called for a debate between the two Senate candidates.

“He should immediately report to a Debate Stage against Ken Paxton, who is ready, willing, and able,” Trump wrote.

The Paxton campaign did not respond to a request for comment about Trump’s proposed debate between the two candidates. Talarico has challenged Paxton to several debates, including one on Fox News, but the window for debates is narrowing with Election Day less than four weeks away.

Talarico will appear at a town hall hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media on Wednesday, October 14 in Fort Worth, Texas. The media outlets have also extended a town hall invitation to Paxton.

The two candidates are locked in a tight battle for the US Senate seat currently occupied by GOP Sen. John Cornyn, who Paxton defeated in a bruising Republican primary in May.

A recent New York Times/Siena University poll showed Talarico with a six-point lead over Paxton.

The close nature of the race in a state Trump won by double digits in 2024 is causing anxiety for Republicans, who are flooding the Texas airwaves in the final stretch. GOP ad spending in the state from September to November currently stands at more than $190 million compared to $52 million reserved by Democrats during the same time period.

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