The New Beard Caucus

Posted at 4:16 PM on January 4, 2011 by Tim Nelson (2 Comments)

It wasn't just the Republicans that brought a new look to the Legislature as it opened its 87th session this afternoon. More than a half dozen lawmakers came to the Capitol with a little extra insulation for the first day.

Behold below: The Beards of 2011.

By our count, at least a half-dozen lawmakers, DFLers and Republicans alike, brought a little more than their usual visage to the floors of their august bodies today. (Click on the photos for a bigger version.)

They are, from left to right:

Reps. Mark Buesgens (R-Jordan), Tony Cornish (R-Good Thunder), Kent Eken (DFL-Twin Valley), Sen. John Harrington (DFL-St. Paul), and Reps. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter) and Tony Sertich (DFL-Chisolm).

UPDATE, 1/5: Hat tip to Legislative Reference Library Director Robbie LaFleur (see her comment below). After she saw the gallery of new beards, LaFleur noted a real turning point in the Capitol's hirsute history: the day Rep. Frank Kelly of Medelia had his official portrait taken. This posting might officially mark a bad hair CENTURY for Rep. Kelly. (Click on the picture for a full appreciation.)

Comments (2)

Fun! I wondered whether there were a lot more beards many years ago, so I looked at the photos in the 1909 Legislative Manual. 16 members had beards, not so many more, but 90 more had just mustaches. And no one, then or now, has hair as great as Rep. Frank L. Kelly of Madelia.
See: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/webcontent/lrl/pdf/hair.pdf

Posted by Robbie LaFleur | January 4, 2011 5:56 PM

That's a mighy good-looking quiff.

Posted by Carol Walsh | January 5, 2011 8:13 AM

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