Cory Booker Brings Veganism Onto Democratic Debate Stage

Vegan New Jersey Senator Cory Booker used a portion of his talking time during the most recent Democratic presidential debate to highlight veganism. The presidential candidate brought veganism into the conversation while answering a question regarding whether or not large tech companies such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google should be regulated in order to prevent monopolies. After providing a short answer, Booker reverted back to a previous question when moderators asked candidates about their health, particularly older candidates Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders—who will all be more than 70 years old should they get elected. “I feel qualified to say this as the vegan on the stage,” Booker said. “Going back to the fact that … we asked three people about their health. When looking at this stage, we know that the most unhealthy person running for the presidency in 2020 is Donald Trump.” Booker closed the debate with another statement about his veganism while discussing the idea of navigating difficult political relationships. “I’m a vegan and he’s a meat-eating Texan,” Booker said in his closing statement about his struggle to agree upon a restaurant in which to dine with Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Booker has been vegan since 2014 and during the recent Iowa Steak Fry presidential forum took part in cooking and serving 1,000 vegan burgers during the meat-heavy event.