Ken Paxton attacks James Talarico over the flu to hide his record

By Daniel Okafor · Reporting from New York · October 10, 2026

Ken Paxton launched a tipline to attack James Talarico for taking sick leave with the flu, but voters will judge Paxton on his own history of missing work.

The twelve-day absence and the political theater of the sick room

James Talarico spent twelve days off the campaign trail because he had the flu. According to NBC News, the state representative and Senate candidate missed in-person events in Texas starting after September 26. He visited a Dallas urgent care on September 30. His campaign confirmed the diagnosis and his recovery.

That medical reality met a partisan freak-out. Madison Cercy, a spokeswoman for the campaign of Attorney General Ken Paxton, said, “We have a simple request: proof of life.” Cercy said, “If James Talarico is too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote.”

Paxton launched a tipline on Friday to ask for sightings of Talarico, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth reported. The tipline number is 833-569-9258. Cercy said, “If you spot James Talarico in Texas, call the tip line. If you spot him at a Hollywood fundraiser, don’t bother.”

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt amplified the noise on X, The National Desk reported. Pratt said, “My sources are telling me Talarico is in a mental health facility.”

Opponents in American politics have long used health concerns as political weapons, as seen in the 2008 United States presidential election. A campaign uses a health crisis to question fitness for office. The 2016 United States presidential election showed how a sudden health episode led to accusations of hiding a medical condition from voters. A positive COVID-19 diagnosis in the 2020 United States presidential election also caused a temporary withdrawal from public view and sparked debate over transparency.

The attacks on Talarico lack grounding in fact. JT Ennis, a spokesman for the Talarico campaign, said, “Hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with voters at ACL today.” Talarico appeared publicly at the Austin City Limits music festival.

Ken Paxton cannot hide his own record

Ken Paxton attacks his opponent for missing days of campaigning due to illness. Yet records show Paxton spent time away from Texas, filing lawsuits in support of Donald Trump’s agenda. An Associated Press report revealed Paxton took over 275 trips to locations like California wine country and European destinations. He incurred $1.8 million in security reimbursements while leaving roughly 730 workdays blank on his calendar.

The hypocrisy runs deeper than blank calendar pages. The Texas House of Representatives impeached Paxton on 20 articles including bribery, abuse of office, and obstruction of justice. The Texas Senate acquitted him by a vote of 16-14. Paxton reached an agreement with the special prosecutor's office to avoid trial on a securities fraud indictment after completing restitution, community service, and ethics training.

Donald Trump entered the fray on Wednesday during a campaign rally at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, according to AP News. Trump said, “You haven’t seen him in a couple of weeks.” Trump also said, “I hear the guy has disappeared. Nobody knows. You know where he is? He’s sick, because he’s forced to eat meat for political reasons and he’s throwing up all over the place.” Trump wrote on Truth Social that Talarico should immediately report to a debate stage against Paxton.

Talarico seized on the opening. Talarico said on social media, “President Trump just said Ken Paxton should debate,” and added, “Ball’s in your court @KenPaxtonTX.” Talarico posted a video saying, “Texans start voting in less than a month and they deserve to hear from both of us before they do,” and “So, if Fox News is where you’ll be most comfortable, I’ll be there.”

Over $247 million has been spent on advertising by campaigns and outside groups in the race, AdImpact data cited by AP News showed. Early voting in Texas begins in October, and Election Day approaches. Polls show the candidates inside the margin of error in most surveys.

The 1972 United States presidential election proved that voters see through manufactured panic when a campaign weaponizes health against a rival. Incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon defeated George McGovern in a landslide, winning 60.7% of the popular vote. When a candidate uses a flu diagnosis to invent missing person reports and set up a tipline, he insults the intelligence of the electorate. Ken Paxton spent years hiding behind blank calendar pages and travel, and no hotline will hide that record from Texas voters on November 3.

Ken Paxton attacks James Talarico over the flu to hide his record

The twelve-day absence and the political theater of the sick room

Ken Paxton cannot hide his own record

Sources