Meat Becomes Unexpected Political Battleground in Midterm Elections
Candidates from both parties are using dietary choices and food prices to attack opponents and appeal to voters.
Meat has emerged as a surprising focal point in the midterm elections, with candidates from both major parties using dietary choices and the rising cost of food as political weapons. Republicans are frequently portraying Democratic opponents as anti-meat or culturally out of step with voters, while Democrats are leveraging high food prices as evidence of economic mismanagement.
In Mississippi, Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom released a video criticizing Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith's comment that consumers have "so many proteins to choose from" when upset about high beef prices. The video juxtaposed Hyde-Smith's statement with a man grilling burgers who declared, "Pick another protein? I'd rather pick another senator instead."
Elsewhere, Republicans have targeted Democratic candidates over their past associations with veganism or activism against meat production. In Texas, James Talarico, a Democratic nominee for the state Senate, faced criticism for a past interview where he stated his campaign was going vegan. Talarico has since publicly consumed barbecue to counter the narrative that his dietary choices make him un-Texan.
In Colorado's 8th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Gabe Evans is challenging Democratic candidate Manny Rutinel, who has a history of activism against meat production. Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, an organization that advocated for reducing meat consumption, and supported a ballot measure to ban a lamb slaughterhouse. Republicans have highlighted Rutinel's past actions, with one campaign official reportedly stating Rutinel eats meat "as little as possible." Rutinel has responded by emphasizing his public consumption of steak tacos on the campaign trail and stating, "I don't think Coloradans care about what's on my plate, I think they care more about what's on theirs."
Evans argued that the issue is not personal preference but policy. "I don't care what he eats personally," Evans said. "I care that he wants to use the power of the government to make everyone eat that way."
Similar attacks have targeted other Democratic candidates. In Iowa's 2nd District, Lindsay James was criticized for supporting "Meatless May" in a 2020 social media post. In Arizona's 1st District, Amish Shah's long-standing vegetarianism and animal rights activism have been highlighted by Republicans.
Republicans have also focused on emerging food technologies. In Iowa, Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson criticized her opponent, Josh Turek, for opposing a bill that would ban the sale of lab-grown meat, stating, "He’d rather have meat that comes from a lab than from our family farms."
Democrats, meanwhile, have primarily used high meat prices as part of a broader argument about inflation under the previous administration. The average price of a pound of ground beef has risen significantly, contributing to voter concerns about affordability. Efforts by former President Trump to lower prices by opening U.S. markets to beef imports, particularly from Argentina, have faced opposition from domestic producers concerned about remaining high prices.