Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Rep. James Talarico may be polling neck and neck in the U.S. Senate race, but what happens when you throw a sweeter, crunchier candidate into the mix?
Houston’s Three Brothers Bakery will put that question to the test with the return of its beloved “cookie poll” featuring Paxton, Talarico and its gingerbread mascot, Gingy. The bakery started selling cookies bearing the likeness in icing of each politician, Gingy included, as part of an informal poll that began Wednesday.
The cookie poll has been an election year tradition at Three Brothers Bakery dating to the 2012 presidential election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. In 2024, the bakery’s results, like those of the official election, had former President Donald Trump winning over Vice President Kamala Harris — though by a larger margin of 51.5% to 43.8%.
Gingy has yet to come out on top. In 2024, the mascot collected 4.7% in the presidential tally.
“The poor guy has run many times for President and even Governor, but he never seems to get past 3rd place.” Bobby Jucker, a fifth-generation baker at the business, said in a release. “In these tense political times, we think it is important to encourage everyone to come together and just have some fun,”
The cookies are available at Three Brothers’ Houston locations on Washington Avenue and in the Braeswood, Tanglewood and Memorial areas.
You can also order them for pickup or delivery on the bakery’s website and via DoorDash or UberEats.