‘I just had the flu’: James Talarico shoots down conservative speculation about his absence from the trail

Key Points:

• Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico attributed his recent campaign absence to a severe case of the flu, emphasizing his responsibility to avoid spreading illness and confirming he is now feeling much better.
• Talarico returned to in-person campaigning on October 6 after last attending an event on September 26 and addressing a forum virtually on September 30 due to illness.
• Conservative speculation about Talarico's absence included false claims that he was receiving mental health treatment at the Lindner Center of Hope, which both Talarico and the center have denied.
• Republican opponent Ken Paxton and supporters criticized Talarico's absence, with Paxton demanding "proof of life," while Talarico called for Paxton to participate in a debate, highlighting Paxton's lack of response to debate requests over 85 days.
• Talarico agreed with President Donald Trump's call for a debate between the candidates, framing Paxton's reluctance as a lack of courage and challenging him to engage directly with voters.