Colorado Democrat Manny Rutinel filmed himself eating a carne asada taco in a campaign video reminiscent of viral food photo ops by Texas Democrat James Talarico and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Rutinel, the Democrat nominee challenging incumbent Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) in Colorado’s Eighth Congressional District, recently appeared in a video at a taco restaurant that he described as one of his favorite spots because it is close to his office.
When asked what his favorite item was, Rutinel asked to see a menu before reading items from it.
Rutinel then took a bite of a carne asada taco, grimaced, and complimented the lime before nodding as the host described the preparation and seasoning of the meat. Rutinel also flashed an “OK” hand gesture while grimacing.
Rutinel’s video follows other food-focused political appearances. Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico attempted to eat barbecue after Republicans resurfaced a 2022 clip in which he called reducing meat consumption “existential” to combating climate change and announced at the time that his campaign for reelection to the Texas House was becoming a “non-meat campaign.” Rutinel’s reaction to the taco also recalls Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s widely mocked photo op at a Somali restaurant.
RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told Breitbart News, “The Democrat Party has been completely taken over by vegan freaks and soy boys, even in the heart of ranching country in Texas and Colorado. Meatless Manny couldn’t even make it through one bite of carne asada before looking visibly ill and desperately looking around for someone to cut the cameras and hand him a big plate of tofu,” Kraft said.
The Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, a pro-farming organization that has traditionally supported Democrat candidates, recently endorsed Rep. Evans in the race.
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President and Chairman Chad Franke said regarding Rutinel:
We just see a lot of past statements and history — positions he’s taken, statements he’s made, groups he’s worked well with — that just really do not align with our member policy. We think that they’re harmful to agriculture, especially animal agriculture. And in a very animal agriculture-intensive (congressional district), we don’t think he would be a friend to our members.
Evans responded to the endorsement, “Proud to have earned the endorsement of @RMFUnion for this election! Not only did they make this endorsement because my opponent wants to BAN you from eating meat, but also because of my hard work in Congress with outreach to the agricultural community of #CO08. I’ll always be proud to stand with our farmers and ranchers to keep our way of life in Colorado.”
As Breitbart News reported in May, Rutinel has described himself as a “more flexible” vegan but said he “typically” does not eat meat. His past activism includes promoting veganism at the University of Florida, calling animal agriculture “a horrific, exploitive [sic] industry” while at Yale Law School, founding Climate Refarm, urging Popeyes to offer plant-based options, and testifying that “the globe must dramatically shift away from animal products.”
In September, Evans focused on Rutinel’s record on animal agriculture, calling him a “socialist vegan” who “called for a vice tax on meat, dairy, and eggs.” Evans also pointed to Rutinel’s legal work and Climate Refarm while criticizing his record on animal agriculture.
In June, Rutinel was questioned about the morality of eating meat given his years of vegan advocacy. A Rutinel staffer moved toward the questioner and waved his hand in an apparent attempt to block the exchange.
Rutinel has also reportedly aligned himself with groups opposed to U.S. immigration enforcement and backed a letter calling for the release of Jeannette Vizguerra, founder of Abolish ICE Denver. A man who appeared to be Rutinel was also seen in one of Zohran Mamdani’s social media videos, while posts from Rutinel’s account indicated he was in New York.
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