‘I just had the flu’: James Talarico shoots down conservative speculation about his absence from the trail
"I was in bed, drinking lots of liquids. Unfortunately, the campaign made me work from home, so I didn't even get full days off. But I didn't want to be out on the trail, and I didn't want to get anyone else sick. It's important, I think, for leaders to be responsible in these moments. And I'm glad to be back. I'm feeling much better," he told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth in an interview.
In his absence, some conservatives speculated that he was taking a break for mental health reasons. One right-wing influencer falsely claimed Talarico was receiving treatment at the Lindner Center of Hope, a facility in Ohio.
State Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico's Republican opponent, called for him to show "proof of life" with a picture of him and a newspaper showing the date.
