Carolina fans hope this doesn’t become a trend.
Another Carolina Panthers playoff loss means another barbecue lunch U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger will dole out to colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Pittenger, a Charlotte Republican, will make good Wednesday on a friendly wager with Seattle-area members of Congress after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Panthers 31-17 on Jan. 10.
Pittenger is having North Carolina barbecue shipped in from Mac’s Speed Shop in Charlotte. He will feed Seattle-area Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, Jim McDermott, and Adam Smith some ribs and pulled pork slathered with traditional North Carolina vinegar based sauce. In the spirit of bipartisanship, Pittenger also invited Democratic Reps. Patrick Murphy of Florida, Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts, Eric Swalwell of California, and Beto O’Rourke of Texas.
“On the bright side, the delicious North Carolina barbeque I’m providing to settle our friendly wager will taste way better than the bag of Skittles and popcorn I would have received had the Panthers advanced,” Pittenger said in statement.
Last year, Pittenger anted up North Carolina barbecue for U.S. Eric Swalwell of the Bay Area after the Panthers lost in the NFL playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers.
Email: fordonez@mcclatchydc.com; Twitter: @francoordonez.