Americans question priorities as official state icons drift from heritage to headlines.
Legislating isn’t always about taxes, tariffs, and serious matters. Sometimes, lawmakers crave levity and rare moments of unity.
A proposal to designate the tortilla as New Mexico’s official state bread had unanimous legislative support—but failed on Friday.
It wasn’t because Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham dislikes the classic round wraps central to Mexican, Central American, and Southwestern U.S. cuisine. She vetoed the bill because she believed lawmakers missed opportunities to debate more pressing issues while the state faces extraordinary challenges.
“Of course, I enjoy celebrating our unique culture,” she wrote in her veto message, listing numerous official state symbols and songs adopted over the years.
“The question shouldn’t be how many more symbols we can collect, but whether we’re rising to the moment with the seriousness it demands,” she continued. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. What’s at stake for our state has never been greater.”
New Mexico lawmakers weren’t alone. Georgia just passed a bill to make cornbread its official bread. Oregon is considering adopting the T-bone steak. And in California, there’s a proposal to name Bigfoot as the state’s official cryptid—a mythical creature whose existence remains unproven.
Sometimes legislators want to escape partisan bickering and find cultural common ground.
The tortilla push, inspired by 4th-grader Adaline McIntosh of Las Cruces, sparked debates about flour types and regional history. Senator Benny Shendo, of the Jemez Pueblo tribe, explained that the first bread in New Mexico was made by Indigenous people using blue corn dough on hot stones. State Sen. Cindy Nava reflected on growing up with her mother’s homemade tortillas, calling the bill “about more than law—it’s about culture and awareness we desperately need.”
Since the late 1800s, U.S. states have declared official flowers, flags, foods, and even fossils—often as clever marketing tools to boost pride and tourism. Oregon already has an official nut-fruit cake, but supporters say adopting the T-bone would honor cattle ranching’s role in its economy.
Tennessee may recognize Nashville hot chicken as a state dish. Nevada is debating whether to adopt the Basque-origin Picón punch cocktail as an official symbol.
North Carolina may adopt the Moravian star, a symbol of Christmas. Minnesota could make the Little Dipper its official constellation. Texas is considering the cannon as its official weapon, despite already naming the Colt Walker revolver. Supporters say it honors the state’s revolutionary fight, citing the “Come and Take It” cannon standoff with Mexico.
Colorado recently named Agaricus julius (a mushroom) an official symbol. Iowa and Michigan are considering official butterflies. Minnesota might designate a giant prehistoric beaver fossil as its state fossil, a campaign backed by the Science Museum of Minnesota.
And California? It’s eyeing both solar energy and Bigfoot. Supporters say Bigfoot is a pop culture icon that fuels rural tourism—and with the largest solar market in the U.S., energy advocates believe it’s time solar takes the spotlight too.
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