Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton used President Donald Trump’s rally in San Antonio on Wednesday to spotlight the absence of his Democratic Senate opponent, James Talarico, repeatedly asking the crowd: “Where is Talarico?”

Paxton told supporters that Talarico had not been seen campaigning in Texas for 11 days, turning the Democrat’s absence into a campaign issue less than four weeks before the November 3 election.

Talarico’s campaign quickly provided an explanation: he has been sick with the flu.

Talarico Campaign Says He Has the Flu

Campaign spokesman JT Ennis said Talarico had held more than 100 public events and interacted with tens of thousands of people before becoming ill.

“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 Fox News Digital.

There is also a documented timeline for the illness.

Talarico disclosed on September 30 that he had gone to an urgent-care facility in Dallas after developing a fever and worsening symptoms. He had been scheduled to attend a forum in the Rio Grande Valley in person but participated virtually instead. He said he was concerned about spreading the illness to others.

His campaign subsequently canceled additional appearances, including an event targeting Black voters in Central Texas and an Austin fundraiser.

The Absence Became a Campaign Weapon

The illness nevertheless gave Paxton an opportunity to question his opponent’s campaign presence.

At Trump’s San Antonio rally, Paxton led the crowd in chanting “Where is Talarico?”, emphasizing that the Democratic candidate had not been publicly campaigning in Texas for 11 days.

Paxton’s campaign has also criticized Talarico for attending a fundraiser in New York while being absent from events in Texas. Talarico’s campaign, meanwhile, has accused Paxton of avoiding reporters and debate opportunities.

The dispute comes at a particularly sensitive point in the campaign, with Texas’ open Senate seat attracting increasing national attention.

Trump Takes the Attack Further

Trump also focused heavily on Talarico during the San Antonio rally.

The president mocked Talarico’s dietary preferences and suggested, without evidence, that the Democrat became sick after being forced to eat meat for political reasons. Trump also repeatedly mocked Talarico’s name and attacked his positions on immigration, public safety and education.

The comments were part of a broader effort by Trump to rally Republican voters behind Paxton, whom he endorsed in the Republican primary.

Trump’s visit was his third trip to Texas in roughly a month, underscoring the national Republican focus on a Senate race that has become considerably more competitive than expected.

Polling Shows a Competitive Race

The campaign clash comes as recent polls show a close contest.

A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted September 21–30 found Talarico at 51% and Paxton at 45% among likely voters.

The broader RealClearPolling average through October 5 showed Talarico at 48.4% and Paxton at 45.3%, a 3.1-point difference. Individual surveys have varied, with some showing a much narrower gap.

Cook Political Report moved the Texas Senate race from Lean Republican to Toss-Up in August, reflecting the competitiveness of the contest.

These ratings and polls are measurements of the race at particular points in time, not election results or guarantees of what will happen on November 3.

Talarico Expected Back on the Trail

Talarico’s campaign says the candidate is expected to return to public campaigning this weekend.

His temporary absence therefore appears to have a straightforward explanation according to his campaign and his own earlier public account of his illness. At the same time, Paxton’s decision to highlight the absence shows how even a short break from campaigning can become politically significant in a race this close.

With 27 days remaining before Election Day, the Texas Senate contest is now receiving national attention, and both campaigns are using every opportunity to define the other candidate before voting begins.

For now, the available public record supports the campaign’s account that Talarico has been dealing with the flu. Whether his absence becomes a lasting campaign issue will depend in part on how quickly he returns to the trail and how the two campaigns use the remaining weeks.