Tag: sideburns

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Politico has an interesting article on politicians and their mustaches, and what seems to be a new trend in some races.

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven’s Facebook page for his U.S. Senate campaign has more than 7,000 fans.

The Republican’s mustache has its own page, with 750 fans and counting — nearly double the number of his Democratic challenger.

In past years, an ambitious politician like Hoeven might not have been eager to rock a ’stache, which until recently has been as taboo for blow-dried, television-era politicians as the mutton-chop sideburn. But this year, Hoeven is part of a boomlet of statewide candidates who are flouting conventional wisdom by proudly sporting a ’stache.

Hoeven and his ‘stache are pictured above, and Politico goes on to list other candidates this year who also sport a mustache.

The article also addresses some mustache stereotypes.

Long-standing stereotypes surrounding mustaches help explain why, until recently, so few pols have sported them.

“Lower-nose accoutrements are often associated with certain professions, such as law enforcement, motorcycle maintenance, pornography, pipe fitters and horseshoe fitters union 173,” said Aaron Perlut, chairman of the American Mustache Institute, a mustache-advocacy group based in St. Louis. (White House senior adviser David Axelrod and Attorney General Eric Holder were both finalists for AMI’s 2009 Mustached American of the Year award.)

Mike Gelman, owner of the popular D.C. men’s salon The Grooming Lounge, said mustaches have been associated with the most sinister people who have sported them — such as Josef Stalin and Saddam Hussein.

Trends can change quickly, so perhaps one prominent politician can change everything.