Far-left candidate's past anti-meat activism clashes with campaign pivot in cattle country

Manny Rutinel, a state legislator and Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado's 8th Congressional District, has a long track record of activism against ranching and other animal-related businesses - even as the district he's running to represent depends heavily on the sector.

Rutinel said he had recently rethought his position towards ranching during an interview with the Colorado Sun late last year.

"They're good stewards of the land, they care for their animals and they are the backbone of our economy and our communities. Colorado ranchers are my friends and neighbors, and I've gotten to know them," he added.

"Meatless Manny makes PETA look reasonable and he wants to force Coloradans to scrounge for berries and nuts off the ground like cave men," Republican National Committee spokesperson Zach Kraft told Fox News Digital. "The lack of protein in Rutinel's diet must be messing with his brain because there is a zero percent chance the ranching capital of Colorado votes for a vegan.

Despite his reframing on ranching, Rutinel has suggested his ideal world might exclude them.

"In order to go green, you have to eat green," Rutinel said when, as a 21-year-old, he prompted veganism by stripping and wearing a pro-vegan sign at an Earth Day celebration.

"At Climate Refarm, we exist to turn everyday choices into powerful tools for climate action. Our mission is to help institutions transition to plant-based food systems while reducing greenhouse gas emissions through science-backed carbon credit solutions," the group's website reads.

Rutinel's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he continues to believe that climate reform must, on some level, mean change for farming industries.