Trump mocks Talarico as "Talafreako" at San Antonio rally for Paxton
Donald Trump used his Oct 7 "Midterm Rally" at San Antonio's Freeman Coliseum to mock Senate candidate James Talarico as "Talafreako" and question his campaign-trail absence, as new polls show the Democrat leading Ken Paxton.
Donald Trump travelled to San Antonio on Oct 7 for his third trip to Texas in a month, headlining a “Midterm Rally” for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton at the Freeman Coliseum alongside US Senator Ted Cruz.
Trump attacked Paxton’s Democratic opponent, state Representative James Talarico, repeatedly calling him “Talafreako” and questioning his absence, saying Talarico had “disappeared”, that “nobody knows” where he is, and claiming he had fallen ill because he was “forced to eat meat for political reasons” and was “throwing up all over the place”.
Talarico’s campaign says he was diagnosed with flu after visiting a Dallas urgent-care clinic, disclosing it at a United States Hispanic Business Council event on Sept 30. The campaign confirmed the diagnosis to the San Antonio Current on Oct 7.
Talarico denies being a vegan, telling the MeidasTouch podcast in May: “I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.” The claims trace to April 2022 remarks to a Texas animal-welfare nonprofit about cutting back on meat.
Paxton’s campaign has launched a “Where’s Jimmy?” push, saying on Oct 7 it had been 11 days since Talarico’s last reported in-person appearance in Texas, and accusing him of prioritising out-of-state donors, citing a Sept 28 New York fundraiser with Robert De Niro.
Polls have Talarico ahead: the New York Times/Siena survey published Oct 3 put him at 51% to Paxton’s 45%, while a Fox News poll on Oct 1 had it 51% to 49%.
Sources
- USA Today: Trump says ‘nobody knows’ where Talarico is. Here’s what we know — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/state/texas/2026/10/07/is-talarico-a-vegan-trump-claims-talarico-got-sick-from-eating-meat/92144004007/
- Reuters: Trump makes third Texas trip in a month as Republicans defend longtime stronghold — https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-third-texas-trip-month-republicans-defend-longtime-stronghold-2026-10-07/
- USA Today: This ain’t his first rodeo: Trump rallies Texas for the GOP — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/10/07/trump-rallies-texas-amid-tight-polls/92117837007/
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