Henry Ross Perot is an American businessman and former politician. He ran as in independent in the 1992 presidential election against Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, on a platform focused on balancing the federal budget, opposed to gun control, and determined to end the outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries. Although Perot polled well, he only received 19% of the popular vote in the November election, and no votes from the electoral college. His promotional team distributed these buttons in return for $5.00 donations to his campaign, as Perot was adamant about not accepting donations greater than $5.00.

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In 1984 and 1988, Baptist minister and Democratic politician Jesse Jackson campaigned for the U.S. presidency. The noted activist’s first campaign in 1984 landed him in third place in the race for the Democratic Party’s nomination—a much more successful showing than many had believed possible. Jackson’s 1988 platform was much the same as it had been in 1984, calling for a “Rainbow Coalition” of minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, and the poor. He also campaigned for an end to the War on Drugs, the creation of more jobs, and raising taxes on the wealthy. Though Jackson was popular overall, he was hindered by allegations of his brother’s criminal past. Jackson eventually lost the Democratic nomination to Michael Dukakis (who eventually lost the presidential election to George H. W. Bush). 

Jackson continued to serve in politics and social activism throughout the 2000s and 2010s. In 2023, he announced that he was stepping down from the Rainbow/PUSH organization—a non-profit founded by Jackson dedicated to promoting social justice and civil rights causes.

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Leonard Frank Arons ran for, and was successful in his bid to become, a delegate for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign. Arons got his start in politics as a part of the College Republicans at Illinois State University.

Arons, a Republican, ran twice to unseat long-time incumbent Democrat John E. Scott for a Missouri State Senate seat. Running on a platform of a unique combination of experience as a former public school teacher and a private attorney, Arons vowed to eliminate sales tax on food, reform the welfare system, and uphold traditional family values. In both races, Arons took in about 30% of the vote to Scott’s 60%.

Illustration of elephant cresting a hill while holding a flag in its trunk above its head.  Red text on white background.

Libertarian Republicans usually belong to the Republican Party and advocate libertarian policies. They may vote for Libertarians or Republicans in state and federal elections. Libertarian Republicans support cutting taxes, abortion rights, fewer regulations, the protection of gun rights, and they support repealing the Patriot Act and Affordable Care Act. Additionally they oppose the War on Drugs and the death penalty.

This button depicts an elephant, the Republican Party mascot, holding the Gadsden flag which shows a rattlesnake and the motto "Don't Tread on Me." This flag is a symbol of American patriotism, disagreement with government, and the support of civil liberties, a message that aligns with Libertarian Republican values of personal freedom.

Blue-tinted photograph of Al Gore on a white background with blue and red text along edge of button.

In 2000, Democratic New Yorkers wanted Al Gore for President of the United States and Hillary Rodham Clinton as a U.S. Senator. Gore ultimately lost the election to George W. Bush by 5 electoral votes, but Clinton was successfully elected to the Senate. 

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Photograph of Jesse Jackson smiling, with his arm around the shoulder of Harold Washington with superimposed white text.

Reverend Jesse Jackson in 1988 decided once again to get involved in politics and try to secure the Democratic nomination. He had tried once prior in 1984 and managed to secure 18 percent of the vote in the primaries. His 1988 campaign would also end in a loss, but he did win 11 primaries and secured 20 percent of the vote. In order to help him secure votes in Illinois, he secured the endorsement of Chicago Mayor, Harold Washington. Jackson struggled to gain a unified black vote in the 1984 primaries, with many politicians not aligning with him. This move by Washington helped to signify a change in black politicians' relationship with Jackson.

Blue-tinted photographs of the heads of Hubert Humphrey and Edmund Muskie on a white background.  Illustration of a braying donkey's head inside a circle is above them.  Portions of the outer edge of button are red with white text, and white with blue text.

After U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson decided not to run for re-election in 1968, Hubert Humphrey launched his campaign and secured the Democratic Party's nomination for president. His running mate was Maine Senator Edmund Muskie. The assassinations of Robert Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. combined with increased opposition to the Vietnam War were harmful to the Humphrey/Muskie ticket, and they ultimately lost to Richard Nixon in the general election. 

After the 1968 election, Humphrey taught at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota before returning to the Senate in 1976, where he remained until his death in 1978. Muskie was a candidate for the Democratic presidential primaries in 1972 and returned to the Senate in 1974 before serving as Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1980 to 1981. 

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In the 1984 presidential election incumbent President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush faced former Vice President Walter Mondale and New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro. President Reagan pointed to his strong economic recovery from stagflation and the 1981 recession and the renewed national confidence and prestige his presidency had overseen. The Reagan campaign advertised and effectively neutralized any concerns regarding Reagan’s age. Reagan and Bush were successful on Election Day and won 49 out of 50 states in a landslide victory against Mondale and Ferraro.

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On January 14, 2004, MTV launched the "Choose or Lose 2004" campaign to encourage 20 million people between the ages 18 and 30 to vote in the 2004 presidential election. They partnered with other organizations, such as Rock the Vote, Meetup.com, and the NAACP throughout the year to host events and educational forums to help voters learn more about the democratic process and make informed voting decisions. The event ended in Fall 2004 with the online "PRE-Lection", in which participants submitted votes to declare their choice for the President of the United States.