Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and President Donald Trump publicly question Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico’s absence from parts of the campaign trail. Paxton posts photos of “missing” style flyers he says have appeared around Texas, including outside Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field and in locations such as Fort Worth and Dallas. He frames the posts as commentary on Talarico’s visibility during the race.
Talarico, according to reporting, has been away after becoming sick, and that has fueled renewed calls for the candidates to debate. The Washington Post and other outlets report Paxton has repeatedly declined debate requests, while Talarico’s reduced appearances have become a focal point of attacks. Trump joins the dispute, urging attention to the “Where is he?” question and adding language about Talarico being “missing in action” on social media. Outlets differ mainly in emphasis—some focus on Paxton’s flyers, others on Trump’s remarks and the debate standoff—while all describe the same campaign-trail controversy.
