Texas Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico returned to the campaign trail Friday after an absence of nearly two weeks, ending days of speculation and criticism from political rivals over his whereabouts.
“Hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with voters at ACL today,” Talarico’s primary spokesperson, JT Ennis, wrote on X.
Ennis shared a video showing Talarico moving through crowds and greeting supporters at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Talarico is challenging Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a closely watched U.S. Senate race. Before Friday, he had not appeared in person at a campaign event since late September.
His most recent in-person appearance had been a Sept. 26 news conference in Carrollton focused on rising gas prices.
Talarico’s campaign said he had been sidelined by a severe case of the flu. The extended absence nevertheless drew pointed attacks from Republicans, including President Trump.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the Democratic candidate as “MISSING IN ACTION.”
“TalaFREAKo has been missing for 12 days! Now, after looking for him throughout all of Texas, and beyond, probably even weirder places than anyone would think possible, he put out a statement that he has the ‘flu,’” Trump wrote.
“12 days is a long time to rid yourself of the so-called flu bug. What’s going on?” he added.
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“We need a Senator that’s a proven Champion like one that has been, without question, the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and one of the Greatest in the U.S.A.”
Talarico’s campaign disputed the claim that he had disappeared from the campaign trail for almost two weeks, pointing to a Sept. 30 Zoom appearance with the U.S. Hispanic Business Council. He had canceled an in-person event but participated remotely instead.
Based on that virtual appearance, the campaign said Talarico’s absence from in-person events was closer to nine days.
Talarico’s last public event in Texas was the Sept. 26 campaign news conference in Carrollton. He also attended a fundraiser in New York City on Sept. 28.
The following day, Talarico said he had been diagnosed with the flu.
Paxton also seized on Talarico’s absence, raising the issue during his own campaign appearances.
“Where is James Talarico?” Paxton asked at a campaign rally in San Antonio.
Talarico’s campaign said he plans to resume a full in-person schedule through the weekend, before appearing at a CNN town hall scheduled for Oct. 14.
The campaign has previously said that Talarico had completed more than 100 public events across Texas before falling ill.
