James Talarico has not held an in-person campaign event in Texas since late September, after a New York fundraiser and a later virtual appearance in which he said he had gone to urgent care in Dallas. His campaign attributes the absence to influenza and says he should resume public activity this weekend.

Ken Paxton’s campaign has publicized the gap and asked for confirmation that Talarico is well enough to campaign, arguing that someone seeking to represent Texas should not stay out of sight for nearly two weeks. Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt has separately said unnamed sources report Talarico is in a mental health facility and that his campaign has stopped scheduling events in the closing stretch.

Pratt added that if the report is accurate it would end Talarico’s Senate bid, while calling for empathy toward anyone in crisis and criticism of campaign staff.