# Talarico's campaign releases photos to end flu absence mystery

> Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico's campaign shared security camera footage showing him at home in Austin during his two-week disappearance from the campaign trail.
- Title: Talarico's campaign releases photos to end flu absence mystery
- Summary: Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico's campaign shared security camera footage showing him at home in Austin during his two-week disappearance…
- Keywords: james talarico, texas senate, democratic candidate, ken paxton, campaign trail, 2024 election, news, Talarico's, campaign, releases, photos, end
- Source: CBS News — https://cbsnews.com/news/james-talarico-texas-senate-campaign-trail-security-camera-photos
- Author: Josh  Boswell
- Published: 2026-10-13T02:56:39+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: james talarico, texas senate, democratic candidate, ken paxton, campaign trail, 2024 election, news
## Talarico vanishes from campaign trail
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico was absent from public view for almost two weeks, saying he caught a bad case of the flu.
## Last public event was September twenty-sixth
Talarico's last known in-person event in Texas took place on Saturday, September twenty-sixth, in the Dallas suburb of Carrollton.
## He diagnosed himself with flu
On September thirtieth, Talarico told an audience he went to urgent care in Dallas and was diagnosed with the flu. He later told a reporter he went to his primary care physician.

> 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.
## Trump and Paxton mock his absence
President Trump traveled to San Antonio to campaign with Republican opponent Ken Paxton, the state attorney general. Both referenced Talarico's disappearance.
## Paxton questions the flu claim
Paxton said Talarico was on day eleven of not showing up in public. Trump joked Talarico was sick from being forced to eat meat for political reasons.

> When I came in here today, we were on day eleven of James Talarico not showing up in public and canceling all public appearances.
## Conspiracy theories spread online
Social media users speculated without evidence that Talarico had flown to Ohio for mental health treatment at Lindner Center of Hope in Mason, Ohio.
## Campaign releases security camera photos
On Monday, Talarico's campaign shared eight timestamped security camera images from his Austin home showing him there from October first to October eighth.
## Campaign spokesman denies conspiracy
Talarico campaign spokesman J.T. Ennis said claims Talarico was elsewhere were a lie designed to promote a pathetic conspiracy theory.

> Last week James Talarico was home in Austin, Texas recovering from the flu.
## Paxton demands answers despite photos
After Talarico returned to public appearances on October ninth, Paxton wrote on X that Talarico owes Texans answers and questioned whether anyone believes the flu story.

> James Talarico claims he was missing for thirteen days because he had the flu. Who actually believes that?
## Key takeaway

Talarico's campaign released security camera images from his Austin home to counter speculation he was elsewhere during his nearly two week absence, which he attributed to the flu.