(CNN) Barbecue has once again made its way into national political discourse. This time, lawmakers are not laughing about the authenticity of the Brooklyn version like they were in March, but instead, the fate of its existence in the Lone Star State.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who is locked in a tight fight for his seat with Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, lampooned his opponent in a warning to Texas voters on Twitter Sunday: "if Beto wins, BBQ will be illegal!"

.@peta protested our town hall yesterday, handing out barbecued tofu. We were glad to welcome them, but it illustrates the stakes af the election: if Beto wins, BBQ will be illegal! 😂😂😂 https://t.co/L1ILod6EST — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 16, 2018

That, according to Cruz, is what is at stake for Texans, who are known for their love of barbecue, in November's election, in which Democrats have the chance to flip a critical Senate seat

The day before, a Cruz campaign event on Saturday in the town of Columbus was met with tofu-serving protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, prompting a warning from the Republican senator, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

"When I got here someone told me that even PETA was protesting and giving out barbecued tofu, so I got to say, they summed up the entire election: If Texas elects a Democrat, they're going to ban barbecue across the state of Texas," Cruz told supporters, according to the newspaper.

Read More