January 12, 2010 12:10 AM UTC

McInnis Extreme Makeover: The Poll

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• by: Colorado Pols

Left: “Old” Scott McInnis with a ‘stache. Right: The New Scott McInnis™ this weekend. Grecian 5® image courtesy Walgreens.com

Settle the question, fashionistas: is gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis’ new look, with the not-very-subtle hair color and shockingly new gap between nose and upper lip, working for you? We’ve seen studies that show voters are less likely to trust politicians with facial hair. We tend to agree, but we make occasional exceptions–for example the Dos Equis guy. We would definitely vote for him. Either way, what we’re seeing here could be cause for celebration in the GOP–did McInnis finally start listening to/hire the image consultant we suggested?

A poll, without a doubt the most important poll you will participate in between now and (possibly including) Election Day, follows.

UPDATE: Leave it to the Denver Post’s Lynn Bartels to get the scoop: he lost a bet, or at least that’s McInnis’ story for the missing mustache. As for that wow-suddenly hair color,

At the luncheon, there was talk that McInnis’ hair also looks a different shade of red than it used to. Has he switched Clairol products?

“That’s above my pay grade,” spokesman Sean Duffy said with a laugh.

UPDATE #2: A trip down Lexis/Nexis memory lane reveals this isn’t the first time a McInnis Makeover™ has, if you will, raised hackles. Former Post columnist Mark Obmascik wrote in 1997:

Washington tongues wagged in 1995 when McInnis returned from a trip to Colorado with a noticeable change. His brown hair suddenly was blond. McInnis ‘ press secretary said the new hair color came because the congressman spent so much time meeting constituents in the sun. But the Associated Press’ Carl Hilliard, dean of all Colorado political reporters, wrote a column saying, “McInnis has tinkered with his hair color ever since he’s been in politics.” [Pols emphasis]

Blonds, of course, have more fun…

Another column a couple of months later:

[Ben Nighthorse] Campbell’s reluctance to shine stands in sharp contrast to his flashy rival, Rep. Scott McInnis. With hair color that changes as often as a mood ring, McInnis has bleached himself a reputation as Colorado’s leading political Breck Boy. [Pols emphasis]

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