There’s nothing unusual about a candidate putting an unflattering picture of his rival in a negative mailer. But a recent piece from Democratic state Senate hopeful Pete Burkert slamming primary rival Kevin Rader on insurance issues deserves special note.

The photo of Rader (above right) makes the state House member look like he went a week or so without a shave and borrowed Michael Corleone’s Nevada mobster suit from The Godfather II.

It’s as if someone enhanced Rader’s stubble, added some ear hair and sprinkled in some black forehead dots that look like failed hair plugs.

At left is what appears to be the original Rader photo (with a reversed negative) from a different Burkert mailer.

Burkert today said he wasn’t aware of any attempt by his campaign to alter Rader’s image.