Image of the U.S. flag flying from a flag pole printed on a white background surrounded by a gold border.

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Two oval photographs in the center of the button with white text above and below the images on a black background.

This button is an interesting jugate that has both Franklin D. Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie on the same button. Typically, a jugate has a president and vice president candidate on the button, but this "saleman's pin" plays it safe and has both democratic and republican presidential candidates. They ran against each other in 1940 with FDR winning the election.

Dark blue text printed on a light blue background above several flags representing different nations and the text GOP in a blue shape with a gold outline.

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Black and white photograph of Hugh Miller on a black background with white text above and below.  

Made in 1914, this button sought to inspire support for Hugh Miller's campaign for Indiana Senator. Miller ran as a Republican in the election, campaigning on issues like anti-sectionalism, tariff reform, and government inefficiency. Miller lost the election by nearly 50,000 votes to the democratic candidate Benjamin Shively. Prior to the election, Miller worked as the vice president for Irwin's Bank in Columbus, Indiana.

Side-by-side black and white photographs of President Calvin Coolidge and Vice-President Charles Dawes in jugate style.  

Soft spoken and at times reclusive, Calvin Coolidge ascended to the presidency after Warren G. Harding's untimely death in 1923. When "Silent Cal" addressed Congress on December 6th, 1923, his speech was the first presidential address to be broadcast over the radio. Initially, Americans did not know what to make of Coolidge, but he won the Republican presidential nomination in June, 1924 with former brigadier general, Charles Dawes, nominated as his vice president. His opponents in the 1924 election, Democrats John Davis and Charles Bryan, lost by a wide margin. Coolidge and Dawes carried every northern and western state except Wisconsin. 

Coolidge suffered a personal tragedy on the campaign trail when he son unexpectedly died. Coolidge withdrew, and did not seek another term as president after his 1924 victory. Coolidge lived out his remaining years in Northampton, Massachusetts. He died in early 1933 of coronary thrombosis. 

White text on a blue background with two white stars.

President Warren G. Harding and Vice President Calvin Coolidge were elected to office in 1920. Their campgain slogan was Less Government in Business and More Business in Government. At the time of the election, the country was suffering a depression following World War I, and Americans were eager for change. Follwing the election, Harding and his fellow Republicans in Congress lived up to their promises by lowering taxes, creating a Federal budget system, and limiting immigration. By the time Harding died of a heart attack in 1923, America was beginning to experience the prosperity of the roaring twenties. Coolidge became president on August 3, 1923 and served until 1929. 

Golden letters with blue background. "Willkie" is in cursive letters at the top of the button. "FIRST MILLION" are in all capital letters below the name.

Wendell Willkie was the Republican presidential candidate in the 1940 election, with Oregon Senator Charles McNary as his running mate. Prior to the election, Willkie was a corporate lawyer, employed by the Commonwealth Southern Corporation, a company that distributed electricity in eleven states. He later became company president in the mid-1930s.

Before his campaign, Willkie had no experience as an elected public official. He had also never once run for public office before his presidential bid. Once a former Democrat and Wall Street industrialist, Willkie became one of the three major isolationist candidates fighting for the Republican nomination in 1940.

Although Willkie lost the election to incubent Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, Roosevelt offered him the opportunity to serve as a US representative abroad. Willkie traveled to the Middle East, Britain, and the Soviet Union during the early 1940s. A few years later, in October, 1944, at the age of 52, Willkie suffered a major heart attack and died.

White and Blue text printed over a red, white and blue background.

Wendell Willkie was the Republican presidential candidate in the 1940 election, with Oregon Senator Charles McNary as his running mate. Prior to the election, Willkie was a corporate lawyer, employed by the Commonwealth Southern Corporation, a company that distributed electricity in eleven states. He later became company president in the mid-1930s.

Before his campaign, Willkie had no experience as an elected public official. He had also never once run for public office before his presidential bid. Once a former Democrat and Wall Street industrialist, Willkie became one of the three major isolationist candidates fighting for the Republican nomination in 1940.

Although Willkie lost the election to incubent Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, Roosevelt offered him the opportunity to serve as a US representative abroad. Willkie traveled to the Middle East, Britain, and the Soviet Union during the early 1940s. A few years later, in October, 1944, at the age of 52, Willkie suffered a major heart attack and died.

Red text printed below a photograph of General Douglas MacArthur on a white background.

General Douglas MacArthur is remembered for his successful command of the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II, as well as leading other military operations, including the United Nations forces during the first part of the Korean War.  MacArthur was promoted to General of the Army in 1944, and in 1945 he was called on to command all of the U.S. Forces in the Pacific area.  

In 1948, conservative Republican groups attempted to nominate General MacArthur for President of the United States using the slogan “MacArthur for America.”  MacArthur was commanding Allied troops in Japan at the time, and was therefore unable to campaign for office. He quickly lost in the primary to Thomas E. Dewey, who was beat in the general election by President Harry S. Truman.

Red text on white background underneath a blue photograph of General MacArthur in uniform.

This button was manufactured in support of General Douglas MacArthur's campaign for president in the 1948 election. Following WWII, MacArthur had been serving as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in occupied Japan. Although MacArthur's obligations overseas made him unable to campaign for the nomination, he had expressed interest in the nomination, saying that if offered the GOP nomination, he would not refuse.

MacArthur gained immense popularity amongst conservatives and was entered onto the Wisconsin primary ballot. Former New York Governor Thomas Dewey, however, won the Republican nomination. Dewey eventually lost to Democrat incumbent Harry Truman in the national election.