Posted on 10/11/2026 3:47:56 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
James Talarico, the Texas Democratic nominee for Senate, on Sunday dismissed GOP conspiracy theories about his flu-induced absence from the campaign trail and sought to turn the tables.
“I had the flu,” he said in an exclusive interview with MS NOW. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. It’s wild that someone can just post something on the internet and then the media just runs with it.”
He dismissed the brouhaha as “silly season in our politics” and issued a fresh challenge to his GOP rival, Ken Paxton, who spent the better part of 10 days fueling wild speculation about Talarico’s whereabouts while the Democrat recovered from his illness.
“He asked for proof of life from me. I’m asking proof of spine from him,” Talarico told MS NOW, referring to his repeated invitations to Paxton to debate him publicly in a race that is stunningly tight in deep-red Texas.
“I’ve heard credible reports that Ken Paxton has a serious medical condition that causes clinical level of cowardice,” Talarico joked during his first nationally televised interview since returning to the campaign trail.
Paxton, the scandal-plagued Texas attorney general backed by President Donald Trump, and other Republicans had been posting faux “missing” and “wanted” posters online, demanding “proof of life” from Talarico’s camp. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, piled on by posting a milk carton featuring the face of a “missing” Talarico.
When pressed on why his campaign had not more forcefully addressed the attacks on him in a high-stakes race so close to Election Day, Talarico pointed a finger at journalists and social media. “Sorry to disappoint our conspiracy theorists online, but our social media and traditional media system really just rewards rumor and innuendo because it’s what gets clicks,” Talarico told MS NOW.
(Excerpt) Read more at ms.now ...
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This is perfect for MS-NOW.
-PJ
🤪🤪🤪🤡🤪🤪🤪
They're just trying to mock the accusation.
-PJ
Democrats are so incredibly one-dimensional. And Tallywhacker is a loon.
did he get the flu vaccine?
This is a watershed moment for MS Now and the rest. They know Talarico is nuts and had to meet in their private conference rooms to make the decision to lie, to tell the truth, or to cover it up.
For several days the Monica Lewinski story was covered up before it had to burst out of the lockbox and into the world.
A case of MS Now revealing total lack of integrity and courage.
Democracy Dies in Darkness, right ?
Gee if Trump is missing for ONE DAMN DAY they declare him dead, but Talafreako is missing for two weeks and hey its all good totally normal. If he has nothing to hide, fine, show proof that he went to urgent care, this can all be resolved in a matter of minutes
The job of the media is to keep Dems in power and help them win at all cost. They make North Korean news look legit
Must have been a pretty bad flu. I think I missed one day of work in my entire life from having the “flu”.
Ted Cruz milk carton ploy....
Too bad he didn’t think of using soy or oat milk. The reaction against cow’s milk overcame the effectiveness. /s
Democrats place no value on honesty. There is only the Revolution.
Yes. But now in the past tense.
Yes. They at least rested up from all the coverup days of Biden (he's never been sharper) and Kamala (a brilliant woman who fights against the tide of male sexism and white racism).
Spent some time at the Nervous Hospital.
Hasn’t this guy been under treatment before this? Simply because it’s unusual for somebody his level of crazy to not be taking crazy meds.
I’m betting he was in a mental institution
“ I’m betting he was in a mental institution”
He was gone since 26 sept. Supposedly seen at a private event 29 sept no proof of that. Conservatively, he was gone 12 days. no clear word from family, campaign, just gone
He comes back and does some 9th grade level gimme interview with who knows who the guy is a campaign staffer is my guess and that includes anyone from MS NOW
Wherever he was whatever he was doing- we will never know. Never
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