In The Know

Lawmaker Halloween costumes include Mario, appropriations bills, national debt

From dressing as appropriations bills to the national debt, lawmakers attempted to make politics even more petrifying with their Halloween costumes this year.

Several members of Congress shared their spine-chilling fashions on Monday for the annual ghoulish holiday.

Rep. Lois Frankel’s (D-Fla.) office got in the Halloween spirit by sporting costumes representing the “12 appropriations bills,” because “passing the [fiscal 2023] budget would be a real treat.”

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) said he was going as “the scariest thing” he could think of, showing off a tag on his lapel with the words “$31 trillion in national debt.”

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) eschewed politics in favor of some hair-raising wisecracks, sharing some “spooky, scary, candy-corny Dad Jokes.”


Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) got as far away from Congress as possible, shooting off to outer space with his NASA astronaut attire.

Manchin wasn’t the only one who had some intergalactic inspiration this year. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten Buttigieg’s 1-year-old twins dressed as a pair of NASA cadets.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and his wife also went to infinity and beyond with their Buzz Lightyear styles.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) — who scared up headlines with his Halloween costume last year as fictional coach Ted Lasso, with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) playing along as the Apple TV+ show’s AFC Wimbledon owner Rebecca Welton — again went with a mustached look this time around as Nintendo star Mario.

—Updated Wednesday at 10:55 a.m.