Beardless Councilmembers Split on Pick for Best Facial Hair

City Councilman Don Tipps, Mayor Cole Stanley, and City Councilman Tom Scherlen/Photos by Campaigns

The following is the second in our new series of articles: The Amarillo Pioneer Fashion

You might have thought this article series was dead, but it’s back for one last time in 2023.

Facial hair has been all the rage in government over the past few years. Speaker Paul Ryan brought the business beard to the U.S. House of Representatives and from there, facial hair on elected officials has become the new norm. But among the three bearded city councilmembers in Amarillo, who has the best whiskers? For answers, we turned to the two representatives without facial hair — Josh Craft and Les Simpson.

In his pick for the City Council’s best facial hair, Craft named Mayor Cole Stanley as having the best beard. Craft highlighted the fullness of Stanley’s beard and said that it speaks to the man’s consistency when keeping up with a finely crafted (no pun intended) facial accessory.

“His is the most consistent by far,” Craft said.

Craft’s fellow facial hairless lawmaker doesn’t agree, however. Simpson picked City Councilman Tom Scherlen as having the best beard of the trio — and it’s for a reason that many might not expect.

“We’re the most senior members so I’ll have to look out for my fellow senior,” Simpson said.

Comparing Scherlen’s beard to Stanley’s, Simpson also said that Scherlen’s age makes the beard even more impressive.

“It’s easier for those younger guys,” Simpson said. “I don’t think gray hairs have hit Cole yet.”

Looking ahead, you shouldn’t hold your breath if you want the full City Council to sprout facial hair. While Craft said he would be open to rocking some chops and setting the City Council’s beard game back over 100 years, Simpson said he won’t be caught with facial hair.

“I tried to grow a beard in high school and it was the most scraggly thing you’ve ever seen,” Simpson said. “So none for me.”

While there isn’t a clear consensus pick for the City Council’s best beard, fashion aficionados will just have to stay tuned to see if Craft comes through with his chops, if Don Tipps changes up his facial hair game to land in the top two, and what will happen to Stanley once he finally gets some gray hair.

Thank you for reading the last article in our new series of articles: The Amarillo Pioneer Fashion.