Talarico Resumes Campaign Amid Speculation Over Illness
WHO:
CNN - Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, age 37.
CNN - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, GOP Senate nominee.
CNN - President Donald Trump.
WHAT:
CNN - Talarico stated, “That’s not true. I just had the flu and feel much better. But it’s a good reminder that you can’t believe everything you read on the internet.”
CNN - Talarico's last in-person campaign appearance before his absence was on September 26, when he held a press conference in Texas.
CNN - Talarico attended a private fundraiser in New York City featuring actor Robert DeNiro on September 28.
CNN - Talarico denounced speculation about his absence, stating, “I had the flu. This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. It’s wild that someone can just post something on the internet and then the media just runs with it.”
CNN - Talarico joked about Paxton, saying, “I’ve heard credible reports that Ken Paxton has a serious medical condition that causes clinical levels of cowardice.”
CNN - Talarico attended a Kacey Musgraves concert in Dallas on Saturday.
NY Post - Talarico disappeared from the campaign trail for more than 10 days.
CNN - Talarico claimed he had a bad case of the flu.
CNN - Talarico returned to public events, including the Austin City Limits music festival and a Kacey Musgraves concert.
CNN - Talarico held a press conference on September 26 and attended a private fundraiser in New York City on September 28.
CNN - Talarico diagnosed with the flu on September 30 during a virtual appearance at the United States Hispanic Business Council.
WHERE:
CNN - Talarico's campaign events took place in Texas and New York City.
CNN - Talarico was seen at the Austin City Limits music festival in Austin, Texas, and at a concert in Dallas, Texas.
WHEN:
CNN - A town hall is scheduled for a future Wednesday evening, hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media, moderated by Erin Burnett, live in Fort Worth, Texas.
CNN - Talarico's last in-person campaign appearances were on September 26 and September 28.
CNN - Talarico was diagnosed with the flu on September 30.
CNN - A town hall is scheduled for Wednesday evening, hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media.
WHY:
NBC News - Talarico challenged his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, to a debate in the Texas Senate race during an interview.
CNN - Talarico's absence led to speculation and criticism from Republicans, including Paxton and Trump, who claimed he was "MISSING IN ACTION."
HOW:
CNN - Talarico worked from home and met with his team via Zoom while recovering from the flu.
(UPDATED October 12, 2026 05:13 UTC)
Talarico has clarified recent rumors about his health, stating, “That’s not true. I just had the flu and feel much better,” emphasizing the importance of not believing everything online. His last in-person campaign appearance was on September 26, when he held a press conference in Texas, followed by a private fundraiser in New York City featuring actor Robert DeNiro on September 28. In a recent interview, Talarico challenged his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, to a debate in the Texas Senate race.
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(UPDATED October 12, 2026 04:12 UTC)
Talarico has addressed speculation regarding his recent absence, clarifying that he was simply dealing with the flu and expressing disbelief at how quickly misinformation spreads online. He also took a jab at Ken Paxton, humorously claiming that there are credible reports of a medical condition causing "clinical levels of cowardice." Looking ahead, a town hall event is set to take place on a future Wednesday evening, hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media, with Erin Burnett serving as the moderator in Fort Worth, Texas.
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(UPDATED October 12, 2026 03:14 UTC)
Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, who recently returned to the campaign trail after a ten-day absence due to a severe case of the flu, has been seen at public events including the Austin City Limits music festival and a Kacey Musgraves concert. His last in-person appearances were on September 26 and September 28, and he was diagnosed with the flu during a virtual event on September 30. Talarico's absence drew criticism from Republicans, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Trump, who accused him of being "MISSING IN ACTION," but he continued to work from home and meet with his team via Zoom during his recovery.