ABC News’ Joel Siegel ( @joelmsiegel) reports:

It’s not just Democrats who are upset following the Republicans’ shocking victory in the special election to fill the New York congressional seat once held by disgraced former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner.

The American Mustache Institute, a tongue-in-cheek advocacy group dedicated to “protecting the rights of, and fighting discrimination against, mustached Americans,” issued a statement today lamenting the loss of “Mustached-American candidate David Weprin to “bare-faced Republican” Bob Turner.

Dr. Aaron Perlut, identified as the chairman of the American Mustache Institute, issued a statement on behalf of the “Mustached American community:”

“It’s a sad day for America and New York. In conceding the race to represent New York’s 9th Congressional District to a bare-faced mortal, David Weprin clearly demonstrated the effortless grace of the Mustached-American community.

“But lost in Mr. Weprin’s concession was a great crime. By not sending another Mustached American to Congress — and there are only 30 in Congress with facial hair, (here they include a not-so-flattering comment about Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi) — the American people and the voters of New York have robbed themselves of Mustached American-laden leadership, rugged good looks, and the ability to cut through pork belly appropriations and the weak-kneed spirit that plagues our current Congressional representation. A sad day indeed.”

Although there is no official count of “Mustached-Americans” in Congress, anyone spending time watching C-Span would not challenge’s the Institute’s estimate of no more than 30.

Democrat Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Republican Rep. Steven LaTourette of Pennsylvania leap to mind. But the Senate, to our knowledge, has been completely clean-shaven since Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) put a razor to his goatee and Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) left office in January.

As a result, Weprin’s loss would appear to deal another blow to the Mustache Institute’ call for a $250.00 annual tax break for Mustached Americans, a proposal the group calls the STACHE Act  — the Stimulus To Allow Critical Hair Expenses

Perhaps the group would have more luck pressing its case with the Obama administration. President Obama’s top adviser David Axelrod sports a ‘stache and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has a close-cropped beard. Al Gore also might provide a sympathetic ear; Gore notably grew a beard in his dark years after narrowly losing the 2000 presidential race.