Updated

Maybe it was just a case of rug burn, but a Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri is rolling out a new look -- ditching the hairpiece he's worn for two decades "in the interest of transparency."

State Sen. Chuck Purgason, who is in an uphill battle with other dark horses to beat Rep. Roy Blunt for the GOP nomination, announced the lifestyle change last week. Overnight, the bowl cut- sporting lawmaker went from looking like a lost member of The Monkees to just your average middle-aged guy who wears bolo ties.

"I've removed my hair to assure voters that nothing will be swept under the rug on my watch," he said in a statement, suggesting he might be willing to auction it off "if there are any offers."

Purgason told FoxNews.com it was a personal decision he made with his wife after turning 50 a couple weeks ago. "That was leaving the rocking 40s into the mature 50s," he said.

He said it's a "little frustrating" that campaign attention has turned from the nation's skyrocketing debt to his hair, but said "any media is good media."

Purgason, a conservative candidate who talks up his pro-gun and anti-abortion credentials, has picked up Tea Party support in the crowded race for the seat being left by Sen. Kit Bond. But Blunt, who's been in the House since 1997, is still considered the favorite for the Republican nomination.

Whether Purgason's idea was a hair-brained campaign stunt or just an attempt to give the dome some breathing room for summer, it nevertheless drew added attention to his campaign. Bald joke-littered coverage followed the announcement -- it remains to be seen whether the senator's new look will offer a plug to his race or whether he's going "toupee" for his decision.