It’s the first Seersucker Thursday in the Senate for 2018.The tradition of wearing these lighter-fabric suits re-emerged in the late 1990s at the urging of former Majority Leader Trent Lott. The Mississippi Republican wanted to show that “the Senate isn’t just a bunch of dour folks wearing dark suits and — in the case of men — red or blue ties,” according to the Senate historian.Today you’re likely to see lawmakers and staff from both sides of the Capitol in seersucker suits, in what’s become an annual tradition to honor the garb, its Southern roots and its necessity as a Senate uniform back in the days before air conditioning. Here’s the day in photos:Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, sports his seersucker suit as he leaves the House Republicans’ caucus meeting in the Capitol on immigration Thursday morning. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., gather for a photo on Seersucker Thursday in the Russell Building Rotunda. (Sarah Silbiger/CQ Roll Call)A congressional staffer participates in Seersucker Thursday in the Russell Building Rotunda. (Sarah Silbiger/CQ Roll Call)Watch: What Is a Discharge Petition Anyway? [jwp-video n="1"]
