Political stunts and an uphill battle: Breaking down Cruz and DeSantis' proposed Bud Light lawsuits

It's been a defining year for Bud Light, and its parent company Anheuser-Busch, as the brand misstepped its way into being boycotted by both conservatives and liberals. We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism "We would urge you, in your capacity at Anheuser-Busch, to avoid a lengthy investigation by the Beer Institute by instead having Anheuser-Busch publicly sever its relationship with Dylan Mulvaney, publicly apologize to the American people for marketing alcoholic beverages to minors, and direct Dylan Mulvaney to remove any Anheuser-Busch content from social media platforms," the letter, which purposely misgendered Mulvaney, said. A month later, Cruz submitted a 13-page memo "detail how Bud Light's sponsorship of Dylan Mulvaney violated industry standards that prohibit marketing to underage individuals." Both Cruz and DeSantis face uphill legal battles Cruz's argument, that Bud Light knowingly marketed to minors by partnering with a social media influencer with younger followers, doesn't seem to hold a lot of water. "All of Anheuser-Busch's marketing is directed to adults of legal drinking age, and the engagement of this social media influencer was in compliance with the Beer Institute's Advertising and Marketing Code," the statement said.