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‘Where is James Talarico?’: Senate candidate’s absence becomes fodder for Ken Paxton
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico has been absent from the Texas campaign trail for 12 days due to recovering from the flu, prompting Republican opponent Ken Paxton to question his whereabouts publicly.
- Paxton and President Donald Trump have used Talarico’s absence as a political attack, with Trump calling him “MISSING IN ACTION” and urging him to debate Paxton immediately.
- Talarico disclosed his flu diagnosis on September 30 and has stated he will return to campaigning soon, while Paxton has remained active on the trail, including speaking at Trump’s rally in San Antonio.
- The Texas Senate race is highly competitive, with a recent poll showing Talarico leading Paxton by six points, intensifying Republican efforts and ad spending in a state Trump won by a large margin in 2024.
- Both candidates have been invited to upcoming town halls, including one hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media on October 14, as the election approaches in less than four weeks.
