Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has been off the campaign trail for nearly two weeks after contracting the flu, raising concerns among party supporters ahead of the November 3 midterm election.

Talarico’s absence has given Republican opponent Ken Paxton an opportunity to criticize him, while President Donald Trump has publicly questioned his extended break from campaigning.

Talarico’s campaign said he had held more than 100 public events before becoming ill and expected him to return to in-person campaigning over the weekend.

Trump also called for Talarico and Paxton to debate, prompting Talarico to accept the challenge and urge his opponent to agree to a televised debate, NBC News has reported.

With Election Day approaching, both campaigns are intensifying their efforts in a closely watched Senate race that could affect which party controls the Senate.