07/01/11 Squabbles between Democrats and Republicans in DC are sometimes metaphorically called “food fights” but the real thing erupted today at Z-Burger Tenleytown’s annual Burger Eating Championship. Cheating accusations and puking marked Friday’s event.

Contestants were given 10 minutes to eat as many hamburgers as possible.

After the leading candidate starting puking on his 14th burger, the race came down to the two men pictured above – that’s The Mouth of The South on the left and Furious Pete on the right. At the end of 10 minutes, Mouth was the presumptive winner with a half burger lead.

But Pete came back and charged that Mouth’s water (which he had colored pink with Crystal Light crystals) contained sizable chunks of uneaten burger!

The Mouth claimed that Furious Pete was merely a sore loser.

The evidence. Yummy. The judges decided on a 1 minute eat off.

Furious Pete during the 1 minute rematch.

Kiss and makeup after rematch.

Furious Pete eats his $2500 check after being declared the winner for consuming 17 burgers overall. It was his 4th consecutive win. He is to hamburger eating what Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi or the USA’s Joey Chestnut are to Coney Island hot dogs.

VIDEO SNIPPET HERE: Judge Whitney gives The Mouth of the South 3 seconds to agree to a one minute “eat-off” with Furious Pete or be disqualified. He declines, then says “I’ll do lawsuit” and finally agrees.