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Ted Cruz claims barbecue-lover Beto O'Rourke will ban BBQs in Texas if elected senator

A look back at Beto O'Rourke's affinity for smoked meats proves the Democrat is, in fact, a barbecue enthusiast

Chris Riotta
New York
Monday 15 October 2018 15:17 BST
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Beto O'Rourke has gained an extraordinary amount of support during his once-longshot candidacy against Ted Cruz in Texas. Will an anti-BBQ allegation bring down his Democratic senatorial campaign?
Beto O'Rourke has gained an extraordinary amount of support during his once-longshot candidacy against Ted Cruz in Texas. Will an anti-BBQ allegation bring down his Democratic senatorial campaign?

Let’s set the record straight: Beto O'Rourke is a big fan of BBQ.

The Texas Democrat has consistently expressed his appreciation for smoked meats over the years, and has continued to show love for the art of barbecue throughout his senatorial campaign against Ted Cruz.

So, when the Republican incumbent said at a recent rally that Mr O’Rourke would "ban BBQ" across Texas if elected, the allegation may have come as a shock to many.

Mr Cruz was meeting supporters at a campaign event in Columbus, Texas on Saturday as the animal rights group PETA protested outside, reportedly serving tofu next to the Schobels restaurant where the senator was speaking.

He used the demonstration to mock PETA and assert the supposed differences between he and his opponent.

"When I got here someone told me that even PETA was protesting and giving out barbecued tofu, so I got to say, they summed up the entire election: if Texas elects a Democrat, they’re going to ban barbecue across the state of Texas," he said to laughing audiences.

"I want to thank PETA," he continued, "and I do want to tell PETA you’re going to have to disclose to the FEC that by coming and protesting and giving away tofu, that you have given an in-kind contribution to my campaign by demonstrating just how bad things can get."

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However, even though his comments appeared insincere, the half-serious smear campaign couldn't be further from the truth.

Mr O’Rourke's constituents may remember his speech at J&M’s BBQ restaurant in Lubbock, Texas in July of last year, when he spoke to a jam-packed house about his then-long shot campaign against Mr Cruz.

Or perhaps they recall his campaign stop in Sunnyside earlier this year, when the El Paso congressman grilled hot dogs outside and took questions from local residents about the senate race.

In fact, Mr O'Rourke's campaign has been deeply basted in BBQ — a past time for many Texans and a longtime staple in southern diets — from the very start.

Almost exactly a year ahead of the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, the Democrat grilled up a statewide campaign event calling on supporters to host barbecues at their homes to help spread his platform and reach new voters.

The initiative was called "BBQs for Beto".

A new Quinnipiac poll showed Mr Cruz holding a nine-point lead against Mr O'Rourke across the reliably red state, though recent polls have estimated the two are in a rather unpredictable dead heat.

As he vies to become the state’s first Democratic senator in decades, it’s safe to assumer Mr O’Rourke’s campaign is too busy reaching out to new voters to battle back the latest meaty conspiracies. His aides did not immediately respond to enquiries.

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