Talarico ‘Really Sick’ As 12-Day Disappearance Shakes Up Texas Senate Race

Texas Senate Democratic nominee James Talarico is reportedly “really sick,” as rumors swirl over his 12-day absence from the campaign trail with the race entering its final stretch.

The Daily Wire previously reported that Talarico came down with the flu following a glitzy New York City fundraiser with a far-left filmmaker who called America a “sh*thole country.”

“I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail, and so I want to keep everybody safe. And, you know, if I was passing on this illness to somebody and got someone’s grandmother or someone’s baby sick, I couldn’t live with myself,” Talarico said during a virtual event on Sept. 30.

That’s the last we’ve seen or heard from the Texas Democrat. Since then, his campaign has canceled a flurry of events, and Talarico has no future campaign events scheduled, according to the campaign’s website. He is, however, expected to attend a CNN town hall next week.

“He’s like, really sick. Believe me, we don’t want this right now,” a Texas Democrat involved in the Senate race told NBC. “We’d rather have him on the trail.” The left-leaning outlet described Talarico’s unexpected illness as a curveball that threatens his standing against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said the flu-stricken Democrat’s absence has allowed Paxton to catch “a little bit of a break.” A new poll released Thursday showed the marquee Senate race tied. 

“It’s certainly not ideal, but we want to make sure he does everything he needs to do to make sure that he’s healthy and ready to go. We’re in the homestretch, and it sounds like he’s on the mend, and that’s great news,” Scudder told the outlet.

President Donald Trump has seized on Talarico being MIA, mocking the Democrat at a raucous San Antonio rally Wednesday night and again targeting him in a Thursday Truth Social post.

“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.’ 12 days is a long time to rid yourself of the so-called flu bug. What’s going on?” Trump asked.

“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. His name is Ken Paxton, and he will never let you down!” Trump added.

The Paxton campaign said Talarico has not held a rally since September 16 and hasn’t been seen in person since September 26, 12 days ago.

“Low-T Jimmy appears to be having a full-blown mental Tala-freak-out on the national stage. We have a simple request: proof of life,” said Madison Cercy, a campaign spokeswoman. “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.”

“If James Talarico is too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote,” Cercy added. Conservative political commentator Meghan McCain said, “This is not going to get better for Talarico.” 

The flu explanation isn’t cutting it for some. Sara Gonzales, who hosts a show on BlazeTV, said she “received unverified information on James Talarico’s whereabouts.”

“If true, it will END his campaign,” she said on X.

The Daily Wire reached out to Talarico’s campaign for comment.

Jimmy appears to be having a full-blown mental Tala-freak-out on the national stage.

My campaign has a simple request: proof of life. https://t.co/pzCXWmpbdN

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) October 8, 2026

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