Democratic Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico sidelined by flu as campaign pause stretches to two weeks

Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has been missing from the campaign trail for the past 12 days after a flu diagnosis forced him to seek urgent care in Dallas.

The hiatus, first reported on Oct. 8, 2026, comes as the race with Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton enters its final weeks before the November midterm elections. Talarico, who had been traveling extensively to connect with voters, was last seen on the ground in Texas on Sept. 26 before a brief appearance in New York on Sept. 29.

“I was starting to feel kind of under the weather a few days ago, and last night it got so bad that I went to urgent care here in Dallas, and I was diagnosed with the flu,” Talarico said during a virtual Hispanic Business Council event. “I’m running a fever, and I’m my most contagious right now. I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail, and so I want to keep everybody safe.”

According to his campaign spokesperson JT Ennis, the senator has been resting and expects to return to the trail over the upcoming weekend.

“After holding more than 100 public events and shaking tens of thousands of hands, James came down with the flu but will be back on the trail this weekend,” Ennis told NBC News.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder downplayed the absence, noting that illness is a normal part of a grueling campaign schedule. She emphasized that the candidate is “on the mend” and remains “a phenomenal candidate who has been working really hard for a long time.”

The interruption has drawn attention from the national political arena. Former President Donald Trump labeled Talarico “missing in action” and issued a challenge to debate Paxton, while political observers warn that the break could benefit Paxton, who has continued to hold events.

Campaign insiders say the timing is critical; early voting begins soon, and voters may be less familiar with Talarico’s platform after weeks of limited visibility. Nonetheless, the Democratic team remains confident that a swift return will restore momentum.

All parties await Talarico’s next public appearance, scheduled for the weekend, which will likely determine whether the flu setback will have lasting effects on the tightly contested Senate race.