Talarico discussed conspiracy theories about him while he had the flu and was challenged about abortion on televised town hall

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico discussed his very publicized absence from the campaign trail so close to the election during a nationally televised town hall on CNN and Jubilee. 

Talarico said he had a nasty case of the flu and worked remotely from home and wouldn't change what he did. The state representative from Austin also used one of his overall campaign themes, blaming billionaires and encouraging Democrats, Independents, and Republicans to join his campaign, to sharply criticize all of the false claims and conspiracy theories about him online and social media that gained millions of views. 

"This is an example of what I call the rage economy," he said. "Conspiracy theorists can post anything they want on the internet. They get clicks. The billionaires who own these platforms get rich. We all get angry, and nobody's life gets any better. Conspiracy theories don't put food on the table. They don't put gas in the tank."

Talarico debates town hall attendees on abortion, immigration

In another segment of the CNN Jubilee Town Hall, various attendees were allowed to come onto the stage and challenge Talarico directly on an issue. 

Jody Hunt of Burleson, who is an Independent and orthodox Catholic, criticized Talarico's views on abortion, which he has talked about a lot during the campaign. 

Republicans have blasted Talarico's religious views for months and did so on social media during the town hall. While Talarico and Hunt agreed they want fewer abortions and unplanned pregnancies, they differed on what the Bible says about abortion. 

"The Bible is silent on the issue of abortion," Talarico said. "It means you and I both have to look at different scriptures to try to come to a conclusion." 

In response, Hunt said, "I just want to add that the Bible is not silent on abortion. There is the Ten Commandments, thou shalt not kill, and as Catholics, we take great insult sometimes when it's sounded that way." 

Talarico later replied, "You know I'm an educator like you, and if I believed that abortion was murder, that it violated the Ten Commandments, then I wouldn't support it. So, it is okay that you and I come to different conclusions about that."

Talarico also said if elected, he would push for comprehensive immigration reform, which would include a pathway to citizenship for people who've been in the U.S. for a long time. He also repeated his criticism of ICE, calling it a secret police force. But he said he doesn't want to abolish ICE because the U.S. still needs immigration enforcement. 

During the show, CNN said that Republican Ken Paxton has not responded to their invitation to take part in a town hall, but that the invitation stands.  

Paxton has also not agreed to debate Talarico, despite multiple invitations from TV stations and Fox News, and even after President Trump said both candidates should debate.

Talarico has said he will debate Paxton at any time and place.    

Paxton launches "Come and Take It" bus tour

Earlier Wednesday, Paxton announced an 18-day bus tour across Texas. It begins in Rockwall on Saturday, and he will be in Allen on Monday. It's scheduled to end at the Alamo in San Antonio on Monday, Nov. 2, the day before the midterm election.  

Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 19. 

The Real Clear Politics average of polls shows Talarico leading Paxton by 2.6 percentage points, 48.1% to 45.5%. The Senate race is the classic definition of a toss-up, and both candidates are starting to get their supporters to the polls in what will be one of the hottest turnout elections in the country.

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