James Talarico Appears in Austin After 10-Day Campaign Absence

Democrat James Talarico appeared in public for the first time since late September, returning to the campaign trail as his US Senate race against Republican Ken Paxton goes down to the wire.

Talarico attended the Austin City Limits music festival on Friday, his campaign said. Video posted on social media showed him walking through the outdoor venue and posing with people at the event.

“James Talarico is back on the campaign trail talking to voters at Austin City Limits,” said JT Ennis, a spokesman for the Talarico campaign.

The candidate’s appearance followed a 10-day absence from in-person events after he caught the flu in late September. Speaking remotely to a business forum on Sept. 30, a day after attending a fundraiser in New York, Talarico said he got sick enough to go to an urgent-care facility. His last campaign event in Texas was on Sept. 26, almost two weeks ago.

At a rally in San Antonio with President Donald Trump this week, Paxton led the crowd in a chant of “Where is James Talarico?” Talarico led Paxton 51% to 45% in a recent poll by the New York Times and Siena University.

Early voting in Texas begins on Oct. 19. The state hasn’t elected a Democrat to the US Senate in almost four decades.