James Talarico Responds to Rumors About His Recent Absence

Ken Paxton Questions James Talarico’s Flu Explanation After Democrat Returns to Campaign Trail

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continued to question Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico’s explanation for his absence from in-person campaign events, even after Talarico returned to public appearances over the weekend.

Talarico said he had been recovering from the flu and resumed public appearances at the Austin City Limits music festival on Friday and a Kacey Musgraves concert in Dallas on Saturday. He also addressed the controversy in interviews Sunday, rejecting speculation about his whereabouts.

The dispute has become a flashpoint in the Texas Senate contest, with Paxton and President Donald Trump criticizing Talarico’s absence ahead of the November 3 election. The race is drawing national attention as both parties compete for control of the U.S. Senate.

Paxton Says He Questions Talarico’s Account

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday evening, Paxton said he was not convinced by Talarico’s explanation.

“I don’t know whether to believe him about the flu or not,” Paxton said, adding that he believed Talarico had made false statements throughout the campaign.

Paxton had previously drawn attention to his rival’s absence at a rally in San Antonio, where he led the crowd in a “Where is James Talarico?” chant. His campaign also circulated messaging portraying the Democratic nominee as missing from the campaign trail.

Talarico’s campaign has said the candidate became ill after a busy stretch of public appearances and would return once he had recovered.

Talarico Says He Was Recovering at Home

Talarico’s last public campaign event before the absence was a September 26 press conference in Texas. He subsequently traveled to New York City for private fundraising events, including one reportedly attended by actor Robert De Niro on September 28.

On September 30, Talarico appeared virtually at an event organized by the U.S. Hispanic Business Council after disclosing that he had the flu. He said he had felt ill and visited an urgent care facility in Dallas.

His campaign said he continued working remotely and meeting with staff through video calls while recovering.

Talarico addressed the speculation in a Sunday interview with MS NOW, expressing frustration with how rumors had spread online.

“I had the flu. This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” he said, criticizing the speed with which claims posted online could be repeated by media outlets.

Trump Also Criticized the Democrat’s Absence

Trump joined Paxton in publicly questioning Talarico’s whereabouts. In a Truth Social post, the president described the Democratic candidate as “MISSING IN ACTION” and challenged his explanation that he had been ill.

The absence also fueled online speculation about whether Talarico had received treatment at a mental health facility in Ohio. Talarico’s campaign rejected that claim, and the facility named in the reports denied that he had been a patient. The allegation has not been substantiated by the available reporting.

Talarico’s return to public events and his interviews on Sunday provided an opportunity for him to respond directly to the speculation. Paxton, however, continued to question his account.

Texas Senate Race Draws National Attention

The contest between Talarico and Paxton is one of the races attracting national attention as Republicans seek to maintain their Senate majority and Democrats pursue potential gains in November.

Public polling released before Talarico’s return showed a competitive contest. A YouGov survey conducted September 28 through October 5 among 3,625 likely voters put Talarico at 50% and Paxton at 44%. Other recent polls showed a narrower margin, underscoring that survey results vary by pollster and methodology.

Polling is a snapshot of voter preferences, not a prediction of the final result. The candidates’ campaign strategies, public appearances and debate plans are likely to remain under scrutiny as Election Day approaches.

For now, the dispute over Talarico’s absence has become another point of contention in a closely watched Texas Senate campaign, with both candidates continuing to make their cases to voters.

READ ALSO : New Poll Shows Close Race in Florida Senate Contest

Ashley Moody and Angie Nixon Deadlocked at 45% in New Florida Senate Poll

Republican Sen. Ashley Moody and Democratic challenger Angie Nixon are virtually tied in a new Florida Senate poll, with each receiving 45% support among likely voters.

The St. Pete Polls survey, conducted September 15-17 for Florida Politics, found Moody at 45.2% and Nixon at 44.8% before rounding. Another 3% selected someone else, while 7% remained undecided.

The survey included 913 likely voters and has a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage points. The four-tenths-of-a-point difference between the candidates is therefore well within the poll’s margin of error.

A Dramatic Difference From the Previous Poll

The St. Pete Polls numbers differ significantly from another survey conducted only days earlier.

A Quantus Insights poll conducted September 8-10 found Moody at 50.1% and Nixon at 42.7% among 733 likely voters.

A Change Research survey conducted September 7-9, meanwhile, put the candidates at 47% each. Earlier University of North Florida and Emerson College surveys had also shown Moody ahead.

Those differences demonstrate why individual polls should be interpreted cautiously. Pollsters use different sampling, weighting and likely-voter methodologies, and a single survey does not establish a trend or determine the eventual result.

Nixon’s Support Among Independent Voters

One of the most striking findings in the new St. Pete Polls survey is Nixon’s advantage among voters who are not affiliated with either major party.

Nixon leads Moody 50% to 37% among independent and minor-party voters, according to the survey.

Nixon also receives 12% support from Republican voters, while Moody receives 8% among Democrats. The poll found Nixon retaining 85% of Democratic voters, compared with Moody retaining 77% of Republicans.

The survey was weighted to reflect Florida’s active voter population, with the final sample consisting of approximately 42% Republicans, 31% Democrats and 27% voters without a major-party affiliation or registered with minor parties. Republicans have a substantial voter-registration advantage statewide.

Age Differences Stand Out

The candidates’ support also varies sharply by age.

Nixon leads among voters younger than 30 by 64% to 25%, according to the poll.

Among voters ages 30 to 49, Nixon leads 54% to 35%.

Moody leads among voters ages 50 to 69, 47% to 42%, and has a larger advantage among voters 70 and older, 61% to 32%.

Subgroup findings generally have greater uncertainty than the overall result because they are based on smaller numbers of respondents.

Race and Ethnicity Show Different Patterns

The survey also found substantial differences by race and ethnicity.

Nixon leads among Black voters 74% to 14%, while Moody leads among White voters 53% to 37%.

Nixon also leads among Hispanic voters, 51% to 39%, according to the survey.

The Hispanic result is particularly notable because Hispanic voters have been an important part of Florida’s changing electoral coalition in recent presidential elections. But the Senate poll is a statewide survey of likely voters and should not be treated as evidence that any particular demographic group will vote a certain way in November.

Both Candidates Have Different Political Backgrounds

Moody currently holds Florida’s Senate seat after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her to replace Marco Rubio, who left the Senate after being selected to serve as secretary of state.

Before joining the Senate, Moody served as Florida attorney general and won statewide elections in 2018 and 2022.

Nixon is a Democratic member of the Florida House representing Jacksonville. She won the Democratic Senate nomination over Alex Vindman, receiving 56% of the vote.

The Democratic primary was closely watched because Vindman had substantially greater campaign spending, according to reporting on the contest.

Fundraising Remains a Major Difference

The two campaigns also entered the general election with substantially different financial resources.

Moody reported raising approximately $11.3 million through the end of July and having about $8.4 million cash on hand after the primary.

Nixon had raised less than $1 million by that point, although her campaign reported a subsequent increase in fundraising following her primary victory.

Nixon has also criticized Moody over her handling of campaign debates. Moody declined the first of three debate invitations issued earlier this month, according to Florida Politics.

Florida’s Governor’s Race Is Also Close

The same St. Pete Polls survey found a similarly narrow contest in the Florida governor’s race.

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds received 44%, compared with 43% for Democrat David Jolly.

The one-point difference also falls well inside the poll’s margin of error.

The simultaneous closeness of the two statewide contests provides a snapshot of the political environment in Florida, but the Senate and governor’s races involve different candidates, campaigns and issues.

The Survey Comes After Conflicting Polling

The latest survey stands out partly because of how sharply it differs from several previous polls.

Quantus Insights’ September 8-10 survey gave Moody a roughly seven-point advantage after rounding. The University of North Florida’s July poll showed Moody ahead by eight points, while an Emerson College survey conducted in March showed a larger Moody advantage. A Change Research survey conducted earlier this month had the Senate race tied at 47% each.

Consequently, the 45%-45% result should not be interpreted in isolation.

It is one new measurement taken during a campaign in which the candidates’ support has varied considerably across surveys.

What the Poll Actually Shows

The clearest finding from the St. Pete Polls survey is that the two candidates are currently separated by less than one percentage point among the voters surveyed.

It does not establish that either candidate has a statistically significant statewide advantage. The 3.2-point margin of error is substantially larger than the four-tenths-of-a-point difference between Moody and Nixon.

The survey also leaves 7% undecided, while another 3% selected a candidate other than Moody or Nixon.

Those voters represent an important portion of the electorate that was not committed to either major-party candidate when the survey was conducted.

Election Day Is Still Ahead

The 2026 general election is scheduled for November 3. Polling conducted in September provides information about voter preferences at that particular point in the campaign, but it does not determine the eventual result.

For now, the Florida Senate race presents a sharp contrast between recent surveys: one showed Moody with a sizable numerical advantage, another showed the candidates tied, and the newest St. Pete Polls survey again places them essentially level.

The coming weeks of campaigning, additional polling, debates and voter decision-making will provide further information about how the race develops.