Blue Dog Democrat drops ‘Zyn’ from campaign nicotine pouch can

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) dropped the word “Zyn” from a piece of campaign merchandise inspired by the popular nicotine pouch brand’s packaging after its parent company reportedly asked her to stop.

In early September, the Democrat added a puck-shaped storage tin, labeled “ GLUE-ZYN-KAMP ,” to her campaign’s storefront. Gluesenkamp Perez announced Thursday she had replaced the item with a different container, which still mimics the Zyn pouches’ ubiquitous circular packaging but instead reads “ Marie for Congress .”

“Yes, we made more. Now with our limited-edition grille logo and hopefully fewer lawyers,” Gluesenkamp Perez wrote on social media alongside photos of the newly launched tins .

The new pocket-sized item shares the same $50 price tag as its Zyn-inspired predecessor but but now comes in two colors, green and black, and features the “Teamster Made” logo.

The change comes after Zyn’s parent company, Philip Morris International, allegedly asked the campaign to stop selling the container.

“While we appreciate enthusiasm for our brands from legal-age (21+) adults, the product violates our ZYN trademark and the campaign must cease and desist using it,” a Philip Morris International spokesperson said in a statement provided to Oregon Public Broadcasting .

Gluesenkamp Perez is among her party’s most vulnerable incumbents ahead of November’s midterms, running for reelection in a district President Trump carried three times.

She has positioned herself as a centrist Democrat, notably voting with GOP lawmakers in September to pass a procedural rule that allowed a host of proposals — including a Russian sanctions bill opposed by Democrats — to move to the House floor.

This was the second time that month she defected from the party, drawing ire from Democratic lawmakers. But party leadership avoided imposing consequences for her behavior, as they hoped to retain her Washington’s 3rd Congressional District seat this fall.

The GOP considers the district to be one of its best pickup chances this fall, potentially helping Republicans retain their control of the House.

Her race against Washington state Sen. John Braun is a toss-up, with the Republican holding a 2-point edge, according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index .