Mayoral Makeover

Council Chairman Gray has a new look for the the stretch run of the mayoral campaign

A much sharper looking Chairman Vincent Gray made his debut in council chambers this week.

Over the weekend, Gray, who is running for the Democratic nomination for mayor, traded his tangled hairstyle for a cleaner coif and upgraded his eyeglasses, opting, at his son's request, for a hipper pair. Add these changes to the sharper suits he's been wearing for about a month and you've got a much less rumpled opponent for incumbent Mayor Adrian Fenty.

"It's very hard during these campaigns to go get your haircut and whatnot on a regular basis, so I decided I was going to take a few hours this weekend," Gray said. "And my son insisted that I change my glasses, so I finally acquiesced to his request."

As for the suits, Gray's lighter colors lacked power image.

"I think it's common, I think, in political campaigns for people to maybe freshen up their appearance, and I did notice the chairman had a new haircut," Councilman Jack Evans said. "I didn't notice the new glasses, but I did notice the blue suits, too, because he had generally worn other color suits in the past. So I think he's looking pretty sharp."

Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. had a different reaction.

"I think the chairman always looks neater, cleaner," he said. "That's why he's my candidate."


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