OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz stopped at a suburban Kansas City restaurant for some barbecue before heading to a rally at Johnson County Community College.

The Texas senator ordered a smoked brisket sandwich at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que in Olathe, Kansas, on Wednesday and sampled some of the restaurant’s ribs and burnt ends.

Cruz shook hands with supporters and said he was looking forward to trying Kansas City-area barbecue because his home state of Texas takes its barbecue seriously. He told a television reporter the best way to eat ribs is with your fingers, because “if you’re eating barbecue and you’re not getting it all over, you’re not doing it right.”

Cathy Schmidt, a 62-year-old Olathe real estate agent, reassured Cruz that he still can win his party’s nomination.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Republican hopefuls Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are planning to come to Kansas this week ahead of the state’s presidential caucuses.

Cruz’s campaign scheduled a Wednesday evening rally for the Texas senator at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park.

Sanders state director Shelby Iseler said the Vermont senator plans to have a rally Thursday evening in Lawrence at the 4H Building on the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

Rubio’s campaign said the Florida senator will have a Friday afternoon event at Jabara Airport in Wichita.

Both parties having their Kansas caucuses Saturday.

Rubio and Cruz are battling businessman Donald Trump for the state’s national convention delegates.

Some Democrats are predicting a close race between Sanders and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.