Spencer Pratt just offered the explanation the flu story was never going to cover. His sources, he says, have James Talarico in a mental health facility, which would also explain why the Texas Democrat’s campaign has stopped putting events on the calendar in the last stretch before Election Day.
The campaign, of course, is still on the flu. But ... the schedule is still empty. And a missing nominee is a problem whether the reason is a sick day or something the staff would rather nobody ask about.
Of course, at this point, we can neither confirm nor deny any of this and it's just a rumor. For now. But we had to share because to be honest, a flu that lasts 12 days doesn't exactly add up either.
Take a gander:
My sources are telling me Talarico is in a mental health facility. His campaign has stopped actively planning events in the vital homestretch of the campaign. If this is true, this is actually a time to pray for Talarico. We should, of course, savagely mock his smug, awful campaign advisors, by all means...and while yes, of course, this would be disqualifying for Talarico's aspirations to be a Texas Senator, we must hold empathy for anyone undergoing crisis. Campaigns are brutal, and not everybody is cut out for it. You need very thick skin. As much as I don't want Talarico anywhere near government, I also don't want wish him harm, and no political office is worth having a breakdown. His awful advisors are at fault for this. They pushed him to be something he isn't, and it didn't work. I'm praying that this isn't true, and he's OK. You want to win these fights on the battlefield of ideas, not the minefield of poor health.
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) October 9, 2026
This would certainly explain his empty calendar.
That being said, like Pratt, we honestly hope if this is the case that Talarico is able to make a full mental recovery and get back in the race so the election goes forward as it was originally intended.
Paxton wouldn't want to win this way.
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Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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