Democrats were ridiculed on social media this week after four of the party‘s lawmakers were caught on camera drinking Bud Light, apparently in a nod to the brand‘s controversial partnership with self–identified transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D–CA) shared the photo of himself and Reps. Mark Takano (D–CA), Adam Schiff (D–CA), and Judy Chu (D–CA) on social media, which sparked an immediate backlash from conservatives and other social media users.
https://t.co/CHIAyL8n2Y pic.twitter.com/jpJUgXpNlc
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 16, 2023
They‘re all just out of frame, laughing too.” Comedian Tim Young added, “This is Bud Light‘s new target market. Take notes.”
The photo shows the four grinning lawmakers looking toward each other awkwardly with the Bud Light logo clearly visible to the camera. The incident comes on the heels of the revelation that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) backed away from a campaign against Bud Light after the brand‘s parent company, Anheuser–Busch, donated to Republican candidates in the midterm elections.
Takano infamously failed to answer the question “What Is a Woman?” when Daily Wire host Matt Walsh interviewed him for the blockbuster documentary bearing the same name. The interview ended prematurely when Takano floundered in the face of basic inquiries about human biology and Walsh was abruptly whisked out of the lawmaker‘s office.
Bud Light has been beset by controversy for weeks after the partnership with Mulvaney, a biological male who featured his transition to female on TikTok and subsequently landed countless brand deals with leading companies. Anheuser–Busch InBev‘s share price took a significant hit after the partnership went public, plummeting from $132 billion on March 31 to $113 billion as of April 17.
Sales for draft beer products produced by Anheuser–Busch fell as much as 50% in the immediate aftermath of the campaign as drinkers chose alternative brews. Distributors and prominent bars across the country reported that consumer interest in Bud Light has plummeted as consumers reacted to the company‘s partnership with Mulvaney.
Anheuser–Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement at the end of last week in response to the controversy but did not make mention of Mulvaney, transgenderism, or offer an apology to offended customers.
The Democrats‘ recent showing of support for the brand has done little to help Bud Light‘s standing in the public eye, as social media users continue to mock the lawmakers for their seemingly tone–deaf endorsement.
