Rep. Manny Rutinel Eats Taco to Defeat 'Meatless' Attack

The evening air in Thornton smells like cumin and char. It’s a specific, heavy scent that hangs low over the parking lot where State Rep. Manny Rutinel stands on Wednesday, Aug. 26, holding a beef taco in one hand and a microphone in the other. He takes a bite of carne asada, chews slowly, and looks directly into the lens of a camera operated by Denver Foos, a local social media channel focused on Latino food culture.

“Good flavor,” Rutinel says, his voice steady despite the scrutiny. “Unbelievable flavors. Very well seasoned.”

For a politician campaigning in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, the act is simple. For Rutinel, it is a performance of redemption. The Colorado Sun reported that the Democratic representative from Commerce City stopped by this taco truck to mingle with voters, but the real purpose was to prove a point: he eats meat now.

It’s not exactly a subtle pivot. For years, Rutinel was a vocal vegan animal activist. He once declared that “animal agriculture is a horrific, exploitative industry.” In since-deleted Reddit posts, he voiced support for a movement that would put animals on the same legal footing as humans, effectively prohibiting their slaughter. He argued that “the globe must dramatically shift away from animal products and toward fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts.”

Rutinel tells The Colorado Sun that those were the views of someone less informed. “I’ve grown a lot, and I’m glad that I have,” he said in an interview earlier this month.

And that matters because the 8th District is one of the nation’s most competitive U.S. House races, and the outcome may determine which party controls Congress. The district is often called Colorado’s agricultural capital, a place where the soil and the economy are tied to livestock.

The Republican attack machine has latched onto Rutinel’s past with a vice grip. They are trying to brand him “Meatless Manny.” Joe Gruters, the Republican National Committee chairman, visited Colorado last week to support U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, the GOP incumbent. Gruters didn’t mince words about Rutinel’s history. “The guy is nuts,” Gruters said, painting the Democrat as an extremist for his former views.

Evans echoed this sentiment during a news conference on Thursday, arguing that the animal protection policies Rutinel once supported would crush local farmers. The Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, a major voice in the region’s agricultural politics, endorsed Evans over Rutinel this cycle. Notably, the union had backed a Democrat in the same district during the last election cycle. The shift suggests that Rutinel’s past activism is now a tangible liability, not just a philosophical disagreement.

Democrats see the vulnerability too. The taco truck visit is a calculated move to neutralize the attack before it takes root in voter minds. It’s an attempt to show that the activist who once championed legal personhood for cows is now a neighbor who enjoys a well-seasoned taco.

Rutinel stands there long enough to let the footage capture him, smiling as he finishes the meal. The camera rolls on, capturing the casual ease of a man who wants to be seen as ordinary again. The taco is gone, but the question lingers in the humid air: does a bite of carne asada erase years of public advocacy?

In a district where the stakes are national and the margins are razor-thin, Rutinel hopes the answer is yes. He wipes his hands on a napkin and turns back to the crowd, the scent of grilled beef still clinging to his jacket.