PHOENIX — The margarita may be the drink of the Southwest, but state senators rejected a bid to have it declared the “official†ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ drink in favor of something with a little less kick: lemonade.
The vote Wednesday is a victory for Gilbert teen Garrett Glover, who convinced his hometown Republican Rep. Warren Petersen to sponsor legislation adding a state drink to a host of other official items. These range from neckwear and gemstones to mammals and butterflies.
But Sen. Victoria Steele, D-ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, suggested to colleagues that if they were going to make such a declaration they were headed down the wrong path.
“What is a great Mexican dinner in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ without a margarita?†she asked. “Why, it’s a shame.â€
Steele also said her colleagues were ignoring the fact that the world margarita championships are held in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. And she noted that the annual “margarita crawl†is set for this weekend, also in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
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Finally, Steele suggested that opponents of her proposal were taking the whole issue way too seriously.
“Y’all need to lighten up a bit,†she said.
None of that did any good, with senators voting 15-12 for lemonade.
Glover said he decided to push the issue because ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ is known for “the five C’s,†specifically cattle, copper, climate, cotton — and citrus. Yet there was nothing official to represent the citrus.
Glover chose lemonade, he said, because Florida already claimed orange juice.
A final roll-call vote will send House Bill 2692, which already has cleared the House, to the governor.
