WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic candidate James Talarico is clarifying the timeline of his “nasty” flu diagnosis after missing more than a week of in-person campaigning in the critical Texas Senate race and sparking widespread online speculation. The campaign told The Post on Monday that Talarico had visited urgent care on Sept. 29 before going to an appointment with his primary care physician in Texas the following week. The added information was intended to provide more detail on why he was sidelined in the race that will determine control of the US Senate.
His campaign also said that he’s surely well enough to debate Republican Ken Paxton, whom they accused of hiding from voters. “James is excited to be back on the campaign trail after recovering from the flu,” said spokesman JT Ennis in a statement Monday. “It’s been 87 days since James challenged Ken Paxton to come out of hiding and answer Texans’ questions in a debate, which even President Trump called on him to do. Ball is in Paxton’s court.”
