# Talarico says flu kept him off trail as GOP speculates

> Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico breaks silence on his campaign absence, dismissing conservative theories about mental health.
- Title: Talarico says flu kept him off trail as GOP speculates
- Summary: Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico breaks silence on his campaign absence, dismissing conservative theories about mental health. James Talarico…
- Keywords: james talarico, texas senate race, 2026 election, ken paxton, democratic campaign, debate, politics, news, Talarico, flu, kept, him
- Source: NBC News — https://nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/-just-flu-james-talarico-shoots-conservative-speculation-absence-trail-rcna602903
- Author: Phil Prazan
- Published: 2026-10-12T04:10:00.796+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: james talarico, texas senate race, 2026 election, ken paxton, democratic campaign, debate, politics, news
## Talarico breaks silence on absence
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico said Sunday he had a nasty case of the flu during his recent absence from the campaign trail.

> I just had the flu
## He worked from home while sick
Talarico told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth the campaign made him work from home during his illness, and he did not want to get others sick.

> I didn't want to be out on the trail, and I didn't want to get anyone else sick.
## Timeline of his absence
Talarico's last in-person event was September twenty-sixth. On September thirtieth he spoke virtually, saying he wasn't feeling well. He returned Friday.
## Conservatives speculated about reasons
During his absence, some conservatives speculated Talarico was taking a break for mental health reasons. One right-wing influencer falsely claimed he was at the Lindner Center of Hope in Ohio.
## The facility denied the claim
The Lindner Center of Hope posted on social media Sunday: Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope.

> Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope.
## Republicans seized on the absence
Republicans latched on to Talarico being off the trail in the final weeks of the campaign. Even some Democrats admitted to NBC News his absence was less than ideal in the tight Senate race.
## Paxton demanded proof of life
State Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico's Republican opponent, called for him to show proof of life with a picture of him and a newspaper showing the date.
## Talarico turns debate tables
Talarico said he agreed with President Trump that Paxton should debate. He said Paxton hasn't responded to a debate request in eighty-five days.

> Ken Paxton has asked for proof of life for me. I'm asking for proof of spine from him.
## No debates scheduled yet
Talarico has accepted debate invitations from multiple media outlets, but Paxton has not done the same. So far, no debates are scheduled.
## Key takeaway

James Talarico said he had the flu during his absence from campaigning, rejecting conservative speculation he was receiving mental health treatment.