With the November 3 midterm election entering its final and most critical phase, a Democratic US Senate candidate in one of the nation’s most closely watched contests has been off the campaign trail for 10 days. His staff has yet to provide a clear timeline for his return.
James Talarico, 37, is attempting what could rank among the biggest political upsets in modern US history: turning reliably Republican Texas blue. Yet the Democrat has not appeared publicly for roughly two weeks.
His campaign says Talarico became ill with the flu in September.
Still, the extended absence, along with the cancellation of public appearances and private fundraising events, has fueled widespread speculation about his condition—even among some of his political allies.
Talarico’s campaign says he last attended an in-person event on September 29. The following day, he appeared by Zoom before the Hispanic Business Council in Edinburg, Texas, apologizing for being unable to attend personally.
“Just wanted to first apologize to you and the US Hispanic Business Council,” Talarico said, appearing visibly flushed.
During his last public appearance on September 30, Talarico addressed Hispanic voters by Zoom and said the flu had prevented him from attending the event in person
Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico speaks at a rally in Houston, Texas, on September 13, 2026
“I was starting to feel 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,” he said.
“I’m running a fever and I’m my most contagious right now,” Talarico added.
A political strategist unaffiliated with the campaign told the Daily Mail that the decision to cancel public events—and particularly private fundraisers—at such a decisive point in the race was deeply concerning.
Talarico’s disappearance comes as polls suggest he may be on the verge of becoming the first Democrat in nearly three decades to win a statewide election in Texas.
“I wanted to dismiss the rumors, but when I heard about him canceling the fundraisers, that gave me pause. It’s crunch time. No (candidate) would be turning down money right now,” said the strategist, who has worked on Democratic and Republican campaigns in Texas and across the country.
Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico’s opponent, claims the Democrat has been absent for 13 days.
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Paxton is now calling on him to provide “proof of life.”
“We’ve tried posters. We’ve tried a formal proof-of-life request. Now we’re asking every Texan to join the search for Jimmy,” the Paxton campaign wrote on social media.
“Call the Tala-Freak-Out Tip Line: 833-56-WYAJT (833-569-9258)
Republicans in Washington, DC, have also joined the effort to pressure Talarico into appearing publicly.
“We are starting to get worried about the little socialist, and are demanding: A video of James Talarico holding a newspaper dated today, the flight he took home from his New York fundraisers, which occurred on the very same night he allegedly went to an urgent care in Dallas [and] a doctor’s note from the Dallas urgent care he allegedly visited,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee said in an email sent to reporters.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Republican US Senate candidate Ken Paxton during a campaign rally at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7, 2026
Paxton’s campaign has been hammering Talarico for days for being ‘missing’ claiming he’s been gone for 13 days
Talarico canceled an October 5 event with black voters in Austin
Despite Talarico’s campaign telling the Daily Mail their candidate will be back on the job this weekend, they struggled to tell us when and where.
The campaign spokesman texted: ‘Will have something for you today.’
However, it’s unclear what, if any damage his hiatus will mean for voters.
An event scheduled in Austin on October 5 with black voters was among the events canceled by Talarico.
That cost the African American group $25,000 as they were unable to get money refunded for an event space that had been booked.