Republicans are demanding Texas Democratic Senate Nominee James Talarico provide “proof of life” after not appearing on the campaign trail since his campaign said he tested positive for the flu.
“James Talafreako’s handlers need to stop the lies and release proof of life,” said Zach Kraft, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee. “We’re worried about the little guy.”
Talarico’s opponent in the Senate race, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has grilled the Democrat about his disappearance on social media in recent days. Paxton’s campaign on Thursday echoed the calls for “proof of life,” including a video of Talarico “holding a newspaper dated today,” a doctor’s note, or “the flight he took home” from his New York fundraisers, which occurred on the very same night he allegedly went to an urgent care in Dallas.”
“James Talarico wants to represent 31 million Texans in the U.S. Senate, but for 12 days he’s hidden from everyone one of them,” said Madison Cercy, a spokeswoman for the Paxton campaign. “If James Talarico is too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote.”
Paxton’s campaign has also posted photos of missing posters that have popped up across Texas, including outside Kyle Field at Texas A&M University in College Station.
Talarico has reportedly canceled two campaign events since he appeared via video call on Sept. 30 at the Hispanic Business Council. During the video call, Talarico disclosed that he’d been diagnosed with the flu.
“I was starting to feel kind of under the weather a few days ago, and and last night it got so bad that I went to the urgent care here in Dallas, and and I was diagnosed with the flu, and so I’m running a fever, and and I’m my most contagious right now, and and I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail,” Talarico said as he apologized for missing the event in person.
The GOP’s “proof of life” call comes after Democrats have invoked a similar message against Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) earlier this year. The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican suffered a fall and was not seen in public for months while recuperating.
Unlike McConnell’s long convalescence, Talarico’s campaign has maintained that he will be back on the campaign trail this weekend.
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“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,” Talarico spokesperson JT Ennis said in a statement. “Ken Paxton has been ignoring Texans this entire campaign, and his priorities are clear: he doesn’t answer to the people of this state — he answers to his billionaire megadonors and special interests.”