Talarico stepped off the trail near the start of last week after revealing a flu diagnosis. His last public appearance came Sept. 30, when he called in virtually to an event with the U.S. Hispanic Business Council. Before that, his last scheduled in-person event was a Sept. 28 fundraiser in New York with Robert De Niro.
At Zilker Park, Talarico walked the grounds and greeted voters ahead of an expected onstage appearance Friday afternoon. Spokesperson JT Ennis posted a video on X with a jab: "Hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with voters at ACL today."
Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton and President Donald Trump ripped the Austin Democrat for the absence. Paxton's campaign demanded "proof of life," launched a "Tala-Freak-Out Tip Line" for sightings, and promoted missing person posters. Right-wing commentators online suggested without evidence that the campaign used the flu to hide a more serious, politically damaging condition.
With early voting fast approaching, the gap gave Paxton an opening. Spokesperson Madison Cercy said Thursday that if Talarico is "too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote." Talarico, 37, has Type I diabetes, and commentators dismissed the idea that it could have slowed his recovery.