Congressional Hopeful Finances Campaign With Tamales

by Hanna Raskin, Posted Jan 7th 2010 @ 4:00PM

Taking a cue from scout troops and high-school bands, a congressional candidate from El Paso is selling tamales to finance his campaign.

"The biggest problem for people who want to participate in political life is we don't have big bank accounts," explains Jaime O. Perez, who's challenging incumbent Silvestre Reyes in the upcoming Republican primary. "My sister said if I wanted, she could make tamales for me. I thought 'Oh, that's nice of her to offer,' but the more I thought about it, I decided it was a really good idea."

Now thoroughly sold on the grassroots fundraising strategy, he adds, "It will be the staple of the campaign."

Perez is selling red pork, vegetable, chicken and green chile tamales for $11.99 a dozen. While he concedes he can't possibly sell enough $1 tamales to underwrite the entire cost of a congressional campaign – winning House candidates in 2008 spent, on average, $1.1 million apiece – he figures 10,000 tamales could help buy the yard signs, leaflets and lapel stickers he needs.

Tamales are all over west Texas at holiday time, but Perez has an advantage in a highly competitive market: "Our family is known for its good cuisine," he says. "We've been graced with great cooks."

Perez plans to keep selling tamales at least through the Mar. 2 election. While only Texans in House District 16 can cast a vote for Perez, he stresses voters from across the country can support his bid.

Summoning the enthusiasm associated with aspiring officeholders, he declares, "If someone in Kentucky wants to try these tamales, we can ship."

Filed Under: Trends, Food Politics
Tags: congressional candidate sells tamales, jaime o. perez, tamales, tamales campaign