Texas Democrat James Talarico vanished from the campaign trail for about ten days in the final stretch before the midterms, and the unanswered questions are now a problem for him and a gift to Republican Ken Paxton.

• Talarico says he had a bad case of the flu, worsened by his diabetes, and recovered at home.
• His own account has shifted — one version says urgent care, another says only his regular doctor — which is fueling doubt.
• Online claims that he was treated at an Ohio mental health facility spread fast after a phone call to the clinic, but the facility denies he was ever a patient there.
• Critics point to the Biden years as proof that campaigns and friendly media will hide a candidate's health problems.
• Paxton is unpopular and hard to rally behind, so the race may turn on whether Texas voters decide to vote against Talarico rather than for his opponent.

Outlook: Expect more pressure on Talarico to explain the gap, and the real possibility of a damaging story dropping in the last week before the November 3 vote.