As election season intensifies like a storm, a lot of keen eyes are also intensifying their scrutiny of how political candidates spend campaign money. Texas congressional candidate Katy Padilla Stout is facing criticism after federal campaign finance records showed her campaign reportedly spent more than $4,300 on tacos, cookies, and liquor over a four-month period. Some critics also couldn’t help but resort to fat-shaming, adding even more fire to the argument.
Stout, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, has become the target of intense social media scrutiny following the disclosure of the expenditures earlier this week. The spending was highlighted after her campaign’s filings with the Federal Election Commission drew attention online.
According to FEC records, the campaign reported spending $675 on cookies on March 30, described as “Cookies for event” and “Personalized cookies for victory tour.” On April 21, the campaign reported two purchases at Total Wine in San Antonio totaling $1,289.22. Another $2,373.92 was reported for purchases at Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana on April 27 and 28.
The expenditures quickly became a talking point for political opponents and social media users, many of whom questioned whether campaign donations were being used appropriately. The filings themselves do not establish that the purchases were personal expenses or otherwise illegal, and the campaign’s descriptions indicate that at least some of the food was associated with events.
Still, the optics proved difficult to escape, particularly because of Stout’s surname and the nature of the purchases. “Fat shaming, really? Detractors can do better,” one commenter wrote, pushing back against the personal attacks directed at the candidate.
Katy Padilla Stout’s expenditures started a debate
Other criticisms were considerably harsher. One social media user joked about whether Stout had “mixed up her EBT card with her campaign credit card,” while another calculated that spending thousands of dollars on tacos could amount to an enormous number of individual tacos.
“At $1.49 a Taco Bell Taco, saying $3,500 of that was spent on Tacos, that is 2,350 TACOS in 4 months OR about 20 Tacos a day !!! That is not a lot of tacos…that is a [EXPLETIVE] LOAD OF TACOS! And her last name is Stout….The comedy is DIVINE!” calculates one X commenter.
The criticism comes as Stout prepares for a congressional contest in a district where campaign spending is likely to receive increased attention. Her opponents can point to the FEC filings as they argue that donors expect contributions to support campaign activities such as voter outreach, advertising, and organizing.
At the same time, the controversy has exposed a separate issue: the line between legitimate campaign food and questionable spending. Food and beverages can be permissible campaign expenses when connected to legitimate political activities, but the records alone do not reveal the full circumstances behind each purchase.
