Meat becomes unlikely battleground in US midterm elections

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 05:32 · Archive

Meat has become a political issue in the 2026 midterm elections, with candidates attacking each other over beef prices and dietary choices.

Meat has become an unexpected political issue in the 2026 midterm elections, with candidates clashing over beef prices and dietary choices.

In Mississippi, Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom released a video featuring Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith saying that if consumers are upset over high beef prices, 'you know you have so many proteins to choose from.' The video cuts to a man grilling burgers responding, 'Pick another protein? I'd rather pick another senator instead.' This Mississippi race is unusual because the Democrat is attacking the Republican over beef, whereas elsewhere Republicans have typically made such attacks.

Republicans in other states have branded Democratic candidates as vegans or opposed to meat, attempting to show they are culturally out of step with voters and hostile to local cattle industries. In Texas, Republicans seized on an old interview in which Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico said his campaign was going vegan. Talarico has since been publicly eating barbecue to rebut the allegations. In Colorado, Republicans have attacked Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel for activism against meat production and factory farming. In college, he was photographed with a banner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. In 2021, Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, which advocates for cutting meat and dairy consumption and has signed letters supporting taxes on these products.

How it is being reported

• Everyone has the same question in the midterms — where's the beef? (And how much does it cost?)In the midterm elections, meat has become a surprising political battleground.News4Jax · 15 Oct, 05:06
• Everyone has the same question in the midterms — where's the beef? (And how much does it cost?)In the midterm elections, meat has become a surprising political battleground.Clickorlando · 15 Oct, 05:06

In this story: Scott Colom · Cindy Hyde-Smith · James Talarico · Manny Rutinel · Mississippi · Texas · Colorado · People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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