Washington — Midterm Candidates Trade Neckties for Flannel, Bandanas

Candidates competing for seats in the 2026 US midterm elections are using clothing — flannel, bandanas, bedazzled pumps — as a campaign tool as much as policy, according to a BBC News report published October 31, 2026. The outlet interviewed stylists and political advisers who said wardrobe choices are now a measured part of candidate branding.

"Politicians are dressing for two jobs at once: to look capable of holding office but to also look connected to the people they want to represent," said Joe Zee, a celebrity fashion stylist, per the BBC.

How is Marie Gluesenkamp Perez dressing for Washington's 3rd District?

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who flipped a Republican-held seat in Washington's 3rd Congressional District in 2022 and is now running for re-election, favors work jackets, flannel shirts, jeans and practical footwear, the BBC reported. Robert Ordway, a conservative public policy adviser and former owner of Capitol Hill Clothiers, told the outlet her look is "spot-on" for "authenticity and where you come from" and "vibes with the Pacific Northwest." Attorney and public policy expert Tashira Halyard said the style "shepherds a message championing the working class."

What does Mary Peltola's style signal in Alaska's Senate race?

Democratic Representative Mary Peltola, now running for a Senate seat in Alaska, has built her campaign wardrobe around rugged outdoor gear tied to her slogan "fish, family and freedom" and her background working on a fishing boat on the Kuskokwim River, according to the BBC. The outlet noted Peltola wore traditional Yup'ik footwear when she was sworn in to Congress in 2022, an image that conservative author and journalist Bonnie Kristian said, alongside flannels, puffer jackets and Indigenous-inspired details, is designed to remind voters she is "a native (and Native) Alaskan."

How is Ashley Hinson balancing Trump loyalty and personal brand in Iowa?

Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson of Iowa has leaned into denim, bandanas and what the BBC described as a "bolder, patriotic image" in a tight race against her Democratic opponent. Hinson wore pumps bedazzled with the American flag at a primary election party in Iowa in June 2026, a look the report said echoes styles worn by Trump supporters at rallies. Halyard called the flag heels, denim dress and bandana "classic Americana." The BBC noted Hinson has tried to separate herself from specific Trump administration policy decisions while still expressing loyalty to the president.

What do stylists say is driving the shift?

Zee's framing — candidates dressing for two audiences, Washington and their home districts — was echoed across the BBC's reporting on Gluesenkamp Perez, Peltola and Hinson. Ordway and Halyard, speaking to specific candidates rather than the race broadly, each tied wardrobe choices to regional or ideological signaling rather than national party branding alone.

The BBC's reporting did not include matching commentary from Hinson's, Peltola's or Gluesenkamp Perez's campaigns on their styling decisions, and the original article is the sole sourcing for the quotes and sartorial details above.

Read the full BBC News report: BBC News