President Trump escalated his attacks on Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico on Wednesday, accusing him of dodging a debate against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and questioning his whereabouts.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, upon information and belief, James TalaFREAKo, who is running for the United States Senate in Texas, is MISSING IN ACTION!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “No one has seen him for an extended period of time.”
Trump pressed further, asking, “Where is he? What is wrong with him? Bad rumors are coming out.” He urged Talarico to “immediately report to a Debate Stage against Ken Paxton, who is ready, willing, and able, one of the best Attorney Generals in the Country, and will soon be, hopefully, a United States Senator representing the Great People of Texas!”
Paxton’s campaign has seized on Talarico’s recent absence from the trail, launching ads that claim the Democrat has been “missing for 11 days.” Talarico last appeared publicly at a New York fundraiser with actor Robert De Niro on Sept. 28, but revealed two days later that he had been diagnosed with the flu during a virtual appearance at a U.S. Hispanic Business Council forum.
Despite Trump’s accusations, Talarico has accepted at least four debate invitations from CNN and local TV stations, according to the Texas Tribune. He also challenged Paxton to a Fox News debate while speaking at the annual Texas Tribune Festival, suggesting Texans should “go to Ken Paxton’s safe space.”
“I’ll go into the lions’ den because I know what I believe,” Talarico said. “I am proud of my record, and I’m not afraid of hard questions.”
The only scheduled debate in Texas this cycle is for the railroad commissioner race between Democrat Jon Rosenthal and Republican Bo French, though French has not publicly confirmed his participation. The last Texas Senate race without a debate was in 2000, between former Rep. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Democrat Gene Kelly, according to the Tribune.
Paxton’s senior adviser Nick Maddux told the Tribune in July that “of course” Paxton would debate Talarico, but no debate has been agreed to. Maddux also called Talarico “a serial liar who has spent his entire campaign shamelessly deceiving Texas voters about his radical record with[out] answering the hard questions.”
Talarico leads Paxton 51-45, with 4 percent undecided, according to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll. Hispanic voters in Texas back Talarico by a wide margin, 62-30, reflecting a shift in a key demographic as Texas becomes a battleground.
The absence of a debate comes as early voting approaches in the Lone Star State, and Trump has returned to Texas to rally for Paxton. The race is seen as one of the most competitive Senate contests this cycle, with Democrats hoping for a midterm sweep.
