Manny Rutinel Faces Scrutiny Over Anti-Meat Record in Colorado District Producing 26% of State Beef
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Manny Rutinel Faces Scrutiny Over Anti-Meat Record in Colorado District Producing 26% of State Beef
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Summary
Colorado Democrat Manny Rutinel is under renewed scrutiny as he runs in the state’s 8th Congressional District, where his past anti-meat activism clashes with a campaign message now praising ranchers.
26% of Colorado’s beef cattle and dairy output comes from the district, and 75% of its 2.5 million acres are used for farming and livestock—making ranching central to the seat he is trying to flip from Rep. Gabe Evans.
Rutinel told the Colorado Sun last year he had rethought his views, saying ranchers are good stewards of the land and the backbone of local communities, while still criticizing cruelty and unsustainable food practices.
His earlier record includes promoting veganism, citing a report urging a shift away from animal products, backing a fur ban, petitioning Popeyes for plant-based options during COVID-19, and founding Climate Refarm to help institutions move toward plant-based food systems.
With the Democratic primary behind him, Rutinel now heads into the Nov. 3, 2026 general election in one of Colorado’s most competitive districts, where agriculture could become a central political fault line.