Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris made the required campaign pilgrimage to the Iowa State Fair this weekend and chowed down on a treat made famous by many contenders before her.
In addition to enjoying her day at the fair on Saturday, Harris made sure to wish Muslims around the world well on one of the holiest days of the Islamic calendar. “Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating #EidAlAdha across the country and around the world,” she said in a tweet.
Eid al-Adha, or the “festival of sacrifice,” is widely celebrated by Muslims across the world and is just one of two official holidays. Pork is strictly forbidden for practicing Muslims.
“Finally got my pork chop!” Harris, 54, exclaimed on Twitter after having taken a bite of the juicy meat for the traditional photo op. The pork chop was photographed in 2015 in the hands and cheeks of presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Jeb Bush. But in an unfortunate juxtaposition, shortly after proclaiming her love of pig’s flesh, Harris sent out another tweet proclaiming the Muslim feast, which falls at the end of the religion’s annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Pork is not eaten by Muslims because they regard it as impure.
Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating #EidAlAdha across the country and around the world.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 11, 2019
Finally got my pork chop! pic.twitter.com/3LUSKorixU
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 11, 2019
Harris was born in California to a Hindu mother and a Baptist father. She attended both church and temple, though it is unclear whether she normally ate pork, a meat not typically consumed by Hindus. The name “Kamala” was given to Harris by her mother, Shyamala, as a tribute to Hindu mythology and commemorates the Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune.
The California senator has not publicly commented on her private religious practices but argued for limitations to religious liberty in 2014, saying that the “free exercise of religion” should remain within the boundaries of “religious institutions.”
The Iowa State Fair is famous for being a campaign stop for presidential hopefuls and for outrageous foods like fried snickers, fried butter, pork chops, and corn dogs that are often served on a stick. Photos of candidates enjoying the fair are considered important moments of their campaigns that can show the aspiring politicians’ ability to connect with the public. The photos can also serve as a moment of embarrassment for candidates, and food choice is said to be carefully considered.
2020 candidates stayed away from the pork altogether over the Eid al-Adha weekend, including Cory Booker, an avowed vegan. He opted for a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
“Oh my God,” Harris said of the hefty pork chop on Saturday in Iowa. “I really … like it’s so good.”
