Yellow text on a blue background

Robert Dole had the unwavering support of Farmers and Ranchers at the 1996 Republican National Convention in San Diego. Dole was a longtime supporter of agriculture, and the ranking Republican on the Agriculture Committee from 1975-1978. Dole represented Kansas in the House of Representatives and then the Senate from 1961-1996. Dole secured the Republican nomination and in an October 24, 1996 Press Release, Dole and his running mate, Jack Kemp issued a 14-point pledge outlining their commitment to America's farmers, ranchers and rural voters. Dole/Kemp lost the Presidential election to incumbent Bill Clinton.

The American Farm Bureau Federation was organized in 1919 to protect the rights of farmers and ranchers, and has continually lobbied for government measures to create legislature to promote and secure the success of America’s agriculture workers. 

Blue and white photographs of two men's heads on a red, white and blue background with white text

Lyndon B. Johnson was the 37th President of the United States and Hubert Humphrey was his Vice President. In 1964, Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson ran for president against Republican Barry Goldwater. Johnson was already the incumbent president following the assassination of John F. Kennedy and ended up winning both the electoral college vote and popular vote in landslide. His popular vote percentage was. 61% - the highest since James Monroe's 1820 re-election. 

Johnson's presidency is mainly known for the "War on Poverty," civil rights movement and increased involvement in the Vietnam War, for which he garnered much criticism.

Black and white photos of McGovern and Shriver on a white button with white text on red and blue around the outside

This button was made for the 1972 election. The words "Come Home America" reference McGovern's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. In this speech he called for America to "come home" to its earlier promise by ending prejudice and inequality and reducing defense spending. This acceptance speech was delayed until 3 a.m. by the Vice Presidential nominating process, which drastically reduced viewership. George McGovern was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and campaigned for an end to U.S. involvement in Vietnam in exchange for the release of American prisoners of war. After McGovern's first Vice Presidential candidate, Thomas Eagleton, was forced to resign when his history of psychiatric problems was revealed, McGovern selected Sargent Shriver, the U.S. ambassador to France, founder of the Peace Corp and Head Start, and a brother in law of John F. Kennedy. Nixon beat McGovern by a very large margin after southern Democrats and labor unions refused to endorse him.

Green button with white text. 

Jimmy Carter was the 39th President of the United States, and he served one term from 1977-1981. Carter was a Democrat who was born and raised in rural Georgia. He was a peanut farmer who served two terms as Georgia State Senator before serving as the Governor of Georgia from 1971-1975. At the end of his term as Governor, he declared his candidacy for President of the United States. Carter selected Walter Mondale, a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, as his running mate, and in the 1976 election, he defeated incumbent president Gerald Ford. Carter ran for reelection in 1980 but was defeated by Ronald Reagan.

Jimmy Carter campaign buttons are known for their distinctive green and white coloring. While red, white, and blue are traditionally seen on election campaign materials, green was used by Carter to draw attention to his background as a farmer.

Green button with white text. 

Jimmy Carter was the 39th President of the United States, and he served one term from 1977-1981. Carter was a Democrat who was born and raised in rural Georgia. He was a peanut farmer who served two terms as Georgia State Senator before serving as the Governor of Georgia from 1971-1975. At the end of his term as Governor, he declared his candidacy for President of the United States. Carter selected Walter Mondale, a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, as his running mate, and in the 1976 election, he defeated incumbent president Gerald Ford.

Jimmy Carter campaign buttons are known for their distinctive green and white coloring. While red, white, and blue are traditionally seen on election campaign materials, green was used by Carter to draw attention to his background as a farmer.

Red and blue text on a white background

The 1976 House of Representatives elections coincided with Democrat Jimmy Carter's election as United States President. Carter's victory over incumbent President Gerald Ford was by a narrow margin, and the Democratic Party only gained one seat in the House. Merlin Karlock, a real estate developer and entrepreneur, ran for the position of representative for Illinois District 17 as a Democrat, against incumbent Republican George O'Brien. Karlock's campaign theme was "Common Sense around the Clock" and he refused to accept any donation over $10. Karlock lost to O'Brien on Election Day, but still received over 80,000 votes. While he did not run for public office again, Karlock continued to advocate for education and local development in Illinois. 

White button with the illustration of red lips and red text on them.

When George H. W. Bush accepted the Republican presidential nomination in August 1988, he infamously stated, “Read my lips, no new taxes.” Though this phrase was believed to have helped Bush secure the presidency that year, it later backfired when he compromised with the Democratic-controlled Congress and increased existing taxes in 1990. The pledge was subsequently viewed as a broken promise, and the electorate began to question Bush’s trustworthiness. Making a nod to the notorious quote, the lips image reflects President Bush’s declining popularity in the aftermath of the tax hike. President Bush went on to run for reelection in 1992, but was defeated by Democratic nominee Bill Clinton.

White button with black text in the center and red text around the rim.

James Boren was a public servant turned humorist, who used his time working in the Washington D.C. bureaucracy as a subject for his humor. Boren hosted mock presidential campaigns (he ran in 1984 and 1992, the latter time for the Apathy Party of America) and coined several key phrases, “When in Doubt, Mumble” and “Dynamic Inaction” to distinguish his platform. The former refers to his most frequently cited and well-known line, “When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble, delegate; when in charge, ponder.”

Illustration of a pelican in a blue suit and top hat, holding an umbrella beside the Miller High Life beer logo. Black text on the top and bottom edge on a white background.

Officially known as the Louisiana World Exhibition, the 1984 World's Fair was meant to commemorate the New Orleans Cotton Exposition's 100^th anniversary. Miller High Life was an event sponsor and hosted a German beer garden. The fair exhibited works by local artists, displays of New Orleans architecture and cuisine, and amusement rides. One popular attraction was an air conditioned boat ride dubbed the Louisiana Journey. The ride wove through mock swamps and bayous, and it allowed attendees to escape the summer heat. Organizers spent $350 million to stage the event, but the 7 million guests didn't produce the revenue necessary to cover the costs. The fair did benefit New Orleans in the long run, as it resulted in new construction in the warehouse district and public access to the Mississippi River.

White button with blue text surrounding a blue photograph of John Glenn.

Decorated war veteran, astronaut, and Senator, John Glenn is a legendary American figure from Ohio who has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from 10 universities.  On July 16, 1957, Glenn beat the cross-country speed record by flying from California to New York in 3 hours and 23 minutes.  The New York Times named him “Man of the Year.”

President Kennedy adopted the slogan “The New Frontier” in his 1960 acceptance speech to the Democratic Presidential nomination.  This slogan became the theme of Kennedy’s administration.  On February 20, 1962, Glenn piloted the Mercury-Atlas 6 "Friendship 7" spacecraft on the first U.S. manned orbital mission, which completed a successful three-orbit mission around the earth, reaching an orbital velocity of approximately 17,500 miles per hour.  Glenn’s triple orbit around the earth took 4 hours and 55 minutes.  In 1998 became the oldest man to fly in space aboard the STS-95.  In 2012, Glenn received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.