Illinois Gubernatorial Buttons
Brooks
Campaign button for the 1936 Illinois gubernatorial election for C. Wayland Brooks. He was unsuccessful in this endeavor, losing to incumbent Henry Horner. This was not the end of Brooks’ political career, as he was elected to the United States Senate in a special election in 1940. He served another full term in congress but lost the 1948 re-election. Before becoming a politician, Brooks served in World War I as a marine. He then attended Northwestern University and earned a law degree. Brooks returned to his legal practice after leaving the senate.
Dan Walker
Campaign button for the 1972 Illinois gubernatorial election for Dan Walker. A native of California, Walker moved to Illinois to earn his J.D. from Northwestern University. After working in Illinois politics for several years, he ran against Republican, Richard Ogilvie and won. However, Walker was ousted by Michael Howlett in the Democratic primary for the 1976 election. He then turned to the private sector. Things took a turn for Walker a few years after leaving politics. He was convicted of bank fraud in the 1980s and was sentenced to seven years in federal prison.
Michael Howlett and Neil Hartigan Button
Campaign button for the 1976 Illinois gubernatorial election for Democrat Michael Howlett and his running mate, Neil Hartigan. Howlett ran against the Democratic incumbent, Dan Walker, in the primary and won. In the general election, Howlett ran against, and ultimately lost to, Republican candidate, James Thompson. Before running for governor, Howlett served three terms as Illinois State Auditor and one term as Secretary of State. Neil Hartigan, a staple of Illinois and Chicago politics, was first the Lieutenant Governor of incumbent Democrat, Dan Walker. Walker lost the primary to Howlett, but Hartigan was renominated. Later, Hartigan was elected as Illinois Attorney General and then an Illinois Appellate Judge for Cook County.
Jim Thompson
Campaign button for the 1976 Illinois gubernatorial election for Jim, “Big Jim,” Thompson. Thompson, a moderate Republication and Illinois’ longest serving governor, held the position for fourteen years, from 1977-1991. Extremely popular in this position, he was considered as the running mate for both Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Before entering politics, Thompson served as a US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Thompson returned to private life after ending his last term as governor, working as a lobbyist until retirement.
Rod Blagojevich
Campaign buttons for Rod Blagojevich’s Illinois gubernatorial election. A Democrat, Blagojevich was elected in 2002 and re-elected for a second term in 2006. Both campaigns focused on economic and educational improvements for Illinois. Before running for governor, he successfully ran for the Illinois General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. Blagojevich was caught attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacant senate seat, that he’d left to run for president in 2008. Because of this, he was impeached in 2009. This also triggered a criminal trial for these actions, and he was convicted and sentenced to fourteen years in prison. President Donald Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.
Rod Blagojevich
Campaign buttons for Rod Blagojevich’s Illinois gubernatorial election. A Democrat, Blagojevich was elected in 2002 and re-elected for a second term in 2006. Both campaigns focused on economic and educational improvements for Illinois. Before running for governor, he successfully ran for the Illinois General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. Blagojevich was caught attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacant senate seat, that he’d left to run for president in 2008. Because of this, he was impeached in 2009. This also triggered a criminal trial for these actions, and he was convicted and sentenced to fourteen years in prison. President Donald Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.
