ALBANY — Maybe this will shave a few points off Gov. Paterson’s negative polling numbers.
The Democratic governor, who has sported whiskers of varying length for more than two decades, turned up for events yesterday clean-shaven, sporting only a mustache.
The unexpected change in appearance immediately spurred Capitol observers to question whether Paterson had gotten rid of his facial hair as part of a campaign to lift his historically low polling numbers before next year’s election.
One Paterson associate said he was sure the issue had been focus-grouped.
Some voters have complained that the governor often appears “scruffy.”
Paterson himself split hairs when he was asked about his new look after making remarks on the budget during an event in Albany.
“More cutbacks,” he quipped, adding cryptically, “I tried to do it about 10 years ago, and things didn’t work out. So, I have a new system.”