Trump questions Talarico's absence in Texas Senate race
President Donald Trump has questioned the whereabouts of Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, who has not attended an in-person campaign event since late September. Trump, who is challenging Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton, raised the issue during a campaign rally in San Antonio and on his social media platform Truth Social, labeling Talarico "MISSING IN ACTION." The president stated that Talarico had been missing for 12 days and questioned the plausibility of his reported flu diagnosis, asking what was going on and asserting the need for a proven champion in the Senate. The prolonged absence has drawn scrutiny from both Republican opponents and members of Talarico's own volunteer network as the Texas Senate race enters its final stretch with Election Day less than a month away. Talarico's last documented public appearance was a news conference in Carrollton on September 26, where he addressed rising gasoline prices and the war in Iran. Following that event, he attended a private fundraiser in New York and joined a business forum virtually on September 30, stating he had been diagnosed with the flu at a Dallas urgent care facility the previous evening. His campaign spokesperson, JT Ennis, told Fox News Digital that Talarico expects to return to in-person campaigning this weekend ahead of a scheduled CNN town hall on October 14. The campaign noted that Talarico has already participated in more than 100 public events. Talarico, who has Type 1 diabetes, cited the condition as a factor in his decision to stay home to avoid spreading illness to vulnerable individuals. According to the CDC, Type 1 diabetes places individuals at greater risk of serious flu complications. Conservative radio host Ben Ferguson questioned the lack of transparency from Talarico's campaign on "The Will Cain Show," asking why a candidate who did not appear ill in a recent interview would disappear. Paxton also questioned his opponent's absence during Wednesday's rally, asking supporters where Talarico was and challenging the return on investment for donors supporting the Democrat. The New York Post reported that leaked messages from a private Slack channel containing nearly 4,000 volunteers showed mixed reactions to the absence. One volunteer expressed concern about losing momentum but expected a comeback at the upcoming town hall, while another suggested the criticism was driven by people who did not want Talarico touring. Fox News Digital reached out to the Talarico campaign for additional information on his recovery location and specific return date but did not receive a response by publication time. Veteran Texas Democratic strategist Ed Espinoza told Fox News Digital that it is preferable for a candidate to be rested now rather than sick later in the campaign. Espinoza noted that despite Talarico's absence from the trail, the campaign is maintaining its presence through significant advertising spending in Texas.
President Donald Trump has questioned the whereabouts of Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, who has not attended an in-person campaign event since late September. Trump, who is challenging Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton, raised the issue during a campaign rally in San Antonio and on his social media platform Truth Social, labeling Talarico "MISSING IN ACTION." The president stated that Talarico had been missing for 12 days and questioned the plausibility of his reported flu diagnosis, asking what was going on and asserting the need for a proven champion in the Senate. The prolonged absence has drawn scrutiny from both Republican opponents and members of Talarico's own volunteer network as the Texas Senate race enters its final stretch with Election Day less than a month away. Talarico's last documented public appearance was a news conference in Carrollton on September 26, where he addressed rising gasoline prices and the war in Iran. Following that event, he attended a private fundraiser in New York and joined a business forum virtually on September 30, stating he had been diagnosed with the flu at a Dallas urgent care facility the previous evening. His campaign spokesperson, JT Ennis, told Fox News Digital that Talarico expects to return to in-person campaigning this weekend ahead of a scheduled CNN town hall on October 14. The campaign noted that Talarico has already participated in more than 100 public events. Talarico, who has Type 1 diabetes, cited the condition as a factor in his decision to stay home to avoid spreading illness to vulnerable individuals. According to the CDC, Type 1 diabetes places individuals at greater risk of serious flu complications. Conservative radio host Ben Ferguson questioned the lack of transparency from Talarico's campaign on "The Will Cain Show," asking why a candidate who did not appear ill in a recent interview would disappear. Paxton also questioned his opponent's absence during Wednesday's rally, asking supporters where Talarico was and challenging the return on investment for donors supporting the Democrat. The New York Post reported that leaked messages from a private Slack channel containing nearly 4,000 volunteers showed mixed reactions to the absence. One volunteer expressed concern about losing momentum but expected a comeback at the upcoming town hall, while another suggested the criticism was driven by people who did not want Talarico touring. Fox News Digital reached out to the Talarico campaign for additional information on his recovery location and specific return date but did not receive a response by publication time. Veteran Texas Democratic strategist Ed Espinoza told Fox News Digital that it is preferable for a candidate to be rested now rather than sick later in the campaign. Espinoza noted that despite Talarico's absence from the trail, the campaign is maintaining its presence through significant advertising spending in Texas.