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Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy was the Democratic candidate in for U.S. President in 1960. Despite his youth, lack of foreign policy experience, and Catholic upbringing, Kennedy managed to capture enough electoral votes to beat his Republican opponent Richard M. Nixon. 

While in office, Kennedy gifted his Secret Service agent Warren “Woody” Taylor a simple red-and-white pin-back button that read “Jack” from his presidential campaign—just like the one seen here. Taylor served as an agent in the White House from 1961 to 1982 and even rode in the follow-up car with Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson when Kennedy was assassinated. Following Kennedy’s murder, Taylor was assigned to protect the incoming First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, for the duration of her husband’s terms as President.

Illustration of a hammer with superimposed white text on a green background.

The Building and Construction Trades Department was founded in 1908 and manages building and construction trade unions that belong to the AFL-CIO. They dictate how work is assigned at sites, mediate disputes, and coordinates local unions. Certain members supported James "Jimmy" Carter and Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale in the 1976 presidential election. Carter and Mondal were elected as the 39th President of the United States and 42nd Vice President of the United States, respectively, and were in office from 1977-1981.

Illustration of a donkey holding a waving red flag on a white background.

In June and July of 1952, the American Medical Association (AMA) convention, the Republican National Convention, and the Democratic National Convention took place in Chicago, in that order. That was not the only connection between the three events: several AMA members at the time were political figures or elected representatives, including presidential electors and delegates for both major parties.

Ethicon is a manufacturer of sutures and other medical supplies (and a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson). The company grew in the 1950s and 1960s, and Ethicon may have seen the AMA convention in June as an opportunity to attract attention from AMA members with political clout, especially with the two major party conventions coming up in July. The button pictured here has a twin, with the Republican elephant endorsing the company.

Illustration of elephant holding a waving flag in its trunk on a white background.

In June and July of 1952, the American Medical Association (AMA) convention, the Republican National Convention, and the Democratic National Convention took place in Chicago, in that order. That was not the only connection between the three events: several AMA members at the time were political figures or elected representatives, including presidential electors and delegates for both major parties.

Ethicon is a manufacturer of sutures and other medical supplies (and a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson). The company grew in the 1950s and 1960s, and Ethicon may have seen the AMA convention in June as an opportunity to attract attention from AMA members with political clout, especially with the two major party conventions coming up in July. The button pictured here has a twin, with the Democratic donkey endorsing the company.

Side-by-side black and white portraits of Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale in the center, green text above and below, white background.

Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, ran for president of the United States with U.S. Senator Walter Mondale from Minnesota as his running mate in 1976. Voters elected Carter as the 39th president. He took 50.1 percent of the vote compared to Republican candidate Gerald Ford and his running mate Bob Dole who captured 48 percent of the vote. Carter and Mondale remained in the White House until 1981 after losing the 1980 election to Republican Ronald Reagan and his running mate George H.W. Bush. After losing the election, Carter returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, and his peanut farm.

The Machinists Non-Partisan Political League (MNPL) was created within the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers to allow members to organize political activity and election candidates that support members. The organization holds economic justice, workplace security and equality in high regard. MNPL supported Carter in 1976 but later determined some of his policies did not align with their interests.

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Billy Carter was the younger brother to former President Jimmy Carter. He was born and raised in Plaines, Georgia where he eventually ran for mayor in 1976, but subsequently lost by a few votes. Billy passed away in 1988 after an unsuccessful battle with cancer.

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Photograph of George McGovern's head opposite an illustration of the head of a winking cartoon fox wearing a black bow tie.  Red text on a yellow background.

George McGovern was born in 1922 in South Dakota. He served in the Army Air Forces in WWII before obtaining degrees from Dakota Wesleyan University and Northwestern University, earning himself a Ph.D. to become a history professor.  He was elected to the U.S representative in 1956-60, and in 1962, ran a successful campaign to become a Senator. He was outspoken about his opposition of the Vietnam War. McGovern ran an unsuccessful campaign for presidency in 1968, as a stand-in for JFK who had been assassinated. He lost, but continued to try to end the Vietnam War through legislation that was defeated in both 1970 and 71.

This led McGovern to his 1972 grassroots-based presidential campaign. His campaign gained momentum and he was able to secure the democratic nomination; however, this left the Democratic Party split ideologically. After choosing Thomas Eagleton as his Vice President running mate, McGovern’s credibility was damaged. Incumbent Richard Nixon beat McGovern in one of the biggest landslides in U.S electoral history. He continued to be a senator until 1980, where he was defeated in his attempt at a fourth term.

Illustration of George McGovern with outstretched arms holding a dove with an olive branch in its beak.  Blue text on a white background.

George McGovern was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Presidency in 1972. Running against the republican incumbent Richard Nixon, McGovern ultimately lost in a landslide defeat in which he carried only Washington D.C. and Massachusetts. 

McGovern entered the race as an underdog compared to fellow democrat Edmund Muskie, who most assumed would be the candidate. However, McGovern's progressive policies and promise to withdraw from the Vietnam War if elected made him a popular candidate with young people and those active in the women's and civil rights movements. McGovern suffered from a divided party, with many democrats publicly siding with Nixon. In the end the McGovern campaign took 17 electoral votes to Nixon's 520.

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In the 1940 Presidential election, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was running for his third term in office against Republican nominee, Wendell WIllkie. Willkie, a lawyer and corporate executive, surprised many as the choice for his party's nomination due to his lack of experience in politics at the time. This button was used by Roosevelt supporters to address those concerns. While it was not traditional to seek a third term in office, Roosevelt used his extensive experience in politics as a reason why he should be re-elected. Roosevelt would go on to win the election, becoming the first and only President of the United States to have ever been elected three times.