Weapons of Mass Destruction: Smiles and Biceps—How Appearance Shapes Politics

Social media activity surrounding U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has sparked a fresh wave of discussion about the link between physical attractiveness and political success, writes El País.

"Hairdos, clothing, shoes, overall physique, and all that sort of thing" form the unwritten laws upon which the state is built, Plato wrote in his philosophical work The Republic. By doing so, he proved that as early as 375 BC, the physical appearance of politicians played a fundamental role in their power and influence.

In his book Lincoln's Body, Richard Fox explored how the appearance of Abraham Lincoln—whom the press frequently described as unattractive—affected his career and political legacy. Fox concluded that today, people with unappealing appearances practically never run for office.

Working in Lincoln's favor was the fact that he didn't have to compete on television broadcasts. Later, this played a cruel trick on Richard Nixon during his debates with Kennedy: those who listened to the debates on the radio considered the Republican the winner, whereas television viewers preferred his opponent.

When experts and stylists advised former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to change his image, he replied: "Everyone has the face they have, and mine is hard to help."

As Pilar Portero of El País noted, there is a widespread belief in society that women voted for former Spanish Prime Ministers Adolfo Suárez and Felipe González because of their sex appeal. Beyond reinforcing the idea that appearance is decisive in politics, this belief deeply and sexistly implies that women do not look beyond the obvious and are devoid of evaluative criteria.

Physical Attractiveness and Its Role in Politics

Today, the powerful physique of Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, has not gone unnoticed. "Abdul El-Sayed’s whole thing is that he’s hot. Look at his arms. Look at those shoulders," wrote one user on X.

Another countered: "The dude just works out at the gym, and that’s a reason to vote for him for political office?"

"Sex appeal is great, sure, but this man is a doctor, a man of the people, and a deeply compassionate leader. I don't think he should be written off just because he's attractive," replied a user in the same thread.

Another politician whose appearance constantly draws attention is Zohran Mamdani, whose attractiveness has been repeatedly commented on by Donald Trump. When the New York politician was talking with Rolling Stone and was asked about Trump's persistent compliments regarding his good looks, he laughed awkwardly for a few seconds before answering: "Thank you?"

Miguel Ángel Martín Blanco, a professor at the University of Salamanca and researcher at Diacronía, notes that it is obvious in any political communication, especially in societies dominated by audiovisual media, that image strongly influences the outcome of a vote and ultimately determines it.

"The only thing subject to debate is what society—or a certain part of it under specific political circumstances—considers 'beautiful,' 'attractive,' or 'seducing,'" he explains. "One thing is clear, as semiicians like Umberto Eco and Yuri Lotman pointed out: ugliness is always associated with whoever is designated as the 'enemy,' since people, as Plato noted long ago, tend to associate the beautiful with the virtuous and the good." "In this sense, when creating the image of an opponent, we seek to demonize them by endowing them with repulsive physical traits that justify our moral rejection. Proof of this is political propaganda during conflicts and wars: the opponent is always portrayed as monstrous, vile, or demonic. Or, at best, with fake cordiality masking malice."

Journalist Joan Callarissa likens modern politicians to influencers: "At the end of the day, the candidate whose face hypnotizes and appeals to you is the one you remember. With the current level of disillusionment with democracy and voter absenteeism, attractiveness helps at least introduce the politician to the world. People might listen to them and be more willing to vote for them than for someone with a more ordinary appearance." At the same time, he emphasizes that this is more about general charm than classical beauty.

"There are beautiful people who aren't magnetic. [Spanish Prime Minister] Pedro Sánchez is currently the best ambassador of this principle: there are other handsome politicians, but they lack his charm and magnetism."

The Halo Effect

At the root of this lies a well-known phenomenon called the halo effect. Ignacio Martín Granados, a political scientist, consultant, and communications director for the presidential staff of Spain's Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), explains it: "Political psychology shows that we tend to attribute qualities such as intelligence, leadership, and competence to physically attractive people."

At the same time, the expert adds that in a very fierce contest, a first impression can tip the scales—especially among the least informed voters—though leadership and genuine reliability are what sustain support.

The New Canon of Beauty

When discussing Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed, it is important to consider that both fit the new standard of beauty shaped by a globalized world. Martín Granados emphasizes that politics reflects social changes, and the canon of political aesthetics has expanded.

"For decades, a very specific ideal of a leader prevailed: male, white, western, with a certain aesthetic associated with the Kennedy clan," he says. "Today, societies are much more diverse, and consequently, politicians are diverse as well. The fact that a citizen sees a reflection of themselves in a candidate strengthens the feeling of democratic representation. At the same time, social media has broadened the spectrum, and charisma no longer depends on conforming to a single canon of beauty."

According to Miguel Ángel Martín, what is remarkable is that amidst rising anti-immigrant sentiment, conspiracy theories, and the perception of Islam as a threat by a significant portion of Western society, figures like Mamdani and Sadiq Khan remain incredibly popular, governing New York and London—two of the world's most vital metropolises.

Makeup, Style, and Strategy

Do politicians and their PR teams aim to accentuate their physical assets? Image consultant Marta Pontnou notes: "Communication teams always look for the positive sides in politics, evaluating communication style, gestures, and presentation on video. Wardrobe can be used to tailor the image to a specific audience. Changing details like glasses, hair, or clothing affects non-verbal communication and can sway votes to your side."

As Martín Blanco points out, it is crucial to know how to decode the projected image, because there is no universal magic formula. "Nowadays, when politics is constantly being discredited, it is critically important to convey a certain degree of authenticity," he explains. "It’s not about fitting a pre-made mold, but about taking risks and presenting oneself without excessive artificiality. Although this very naturalness requires enormous work and strategy."

Martín Granados adds that image is almost as much a part of political communication as speech or digital strategy: "Clothing, hair, lighting, posture, facial expressions, and even gestures are all taken into account. The goal is not to look prettier, but to seem more convincing—conveying closeness, confidence, energy, or authority depending on the candidate's profile. The key to success lies in the harmony between the image and the politician's real personality, because phoniness always works against them."

Politicians openly flirt with their appearance. Speaking to supporters in Detroit in 2020, Barack Obama acknowledged that campaigning had become harder: "And not just because I've gotten older and grayer," he joked amidst audience laughter. Then he repeated the words of a spectator: "She said I look great."

Many politicians no longer hide the fact that they take care of themselves. When asked by a journalist about his appearance, Catalan politician Gabriel Rufián admitted that he uses moisturizer and anti-aging cream, and occasionally a light foundation: "A few years ago, I was photographed after a sleepless night, and the press wrote: 'Gabriel Rufián might be ill.' I said: 'Never again.' I apply a little makeup, or else that won't be us anymore." He added that Pedro Sánchez also always wears makeup: "Any responsible public figure uses makeup."

According to Joan Callarissa, beauty affects male politicians quite differently than female ones: "Good looks work to a male politician's advantage, while an attractive female politician frequently finds that her appearance starts working against her."

It is naive to ignore appearance and aesthetics in politics, and Donald Trump understands this quite well. He once stated that John F. Kennedy was "the second most attractive U.S. president." To the logical question "and who is the first?", the current leader—known for his love of self-admiration—had a quite predictable answer.