Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico resurfaces at festival after flu absence

Texas Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate James Talarico reappeared on the campaign trail Friday after a nearly two-week absence, ending days of speculation and criticism from political opponents regarding his fate.

“I hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with ACL voters today,” Talarico’s main spokesperson, JT Ennis, wrote on X.

The post included video of the candidate walking through the crowd and greeting supporters at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a campaign rally at the Cailloux Theater August 31 in Kerrville, Texas. Talarico reappeared at a music festival Friday after a 12-day absence that sparked speculation about his whereabouts. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Talarico, who is challenging Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a closely watched U.S. Senate contest, had not been seen publicly in person at a campaign event since late September. His last in-person event was a Sept. 26 news conference in Carrollton about rising gas prices.

Talarico’s campaign attributed the absence to a serious case of the flu. However, the extended pause drew sharp criticism from Republicans, including President Donald Trump.

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State Rep. James Talarico and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are in a tight race for Senate. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

In an article on Truth Social, Trump said the Democrat was “MISSING IN ACTION.”

“TalaFREAKo has been missing for 12 days! Now, after searching for him throughout Texas and beyond, probably in even stranger places than anyone would believe possible, he has released a statement that he has the ‘flu,'” Trump wrote.

“12 days is a long time to get rid of what we call the flu virus. What’s going on?” he added. “We need a senator who is a proven champion, like one who was, without question, the greatest attorney general in Texas history and one of the greatest in the United States.”

Talarico’s campaign pushed back on the claim that he had been absent from the campaign trail for nearly two weeks, saying he attended a Sept. 30 Zoom with the U.S. Hispanic Business Council after canceling an in-person event. The campaign argued that because he attended that Zoom, his absence was closer to nine days.

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Texas State Representative James Talarico, candidate for U.S. Senate, greets supporters after a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, March 1, 2026. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

Talarico’s last public event was on September 26 in Texas, where he held a press conference in Carrollton. On September 28, he attended a fundraiser in New York.

The next day, he said he was diagnosed with the flu.

Talarico’s absence also prompted Paxton to target his opponent’s absence on the campaign trail.

“Where is James Talarico?” Paxton asked at a campaign rally in San Antonio.

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Talarico’s campaign confirmed that he expects to return to a full in-person schedule through the weekend ahead of a CNN town hall on October 14.

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The campaign previously noted that before his illness, Talarico had already completed more than 100 public campaign events across the state.