U.S Senate Buttons
Alexi Giannoulias
Campaign button for Alexi Giannoulias’ failed Senate campaign. Giannoulias ran for an Illinois Senate seat in the 2010 election against Republican Mark Kirk. Before that, he beat the incumbent candidate Roland Burris, in the Democratic Primary. Burris was appointed by then-Governor, Rod Blagojevich, to replace Barack Obama in 2008. Before his failed campaign, Giannoulias was the Illinois State Treasurer for several years. Giannoulias is the current Illinois Secretary of State.
Charles Percy
Campaign button for Charles Percy’s United States Senatorial campaign. Percy served in the Senate for three terms, from 1967 until 1985. Percy used his political clout several times while in the senate to stand up to then-president Richard Nixon, first over the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, then over the correct procedure in the Watergate investigation. Before coming to the senate, Percy ran for Illinois Governor but failed to win the election. Before entering politics, Charles Percy was a businessman, rising through the ranks of the Bell & Howell camera company and eventually becoming president.
Barack Obama
Campaign button for Barack Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign. Obama beat Alan Keyes (R) for the seat, starting his term in January of 2005. He resigned his seat in 2008 in order to run for president. Barack Obama also won the 2008 presidential election, and was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Obama started his political career as an organizer and civil rights attorney. He then went on to serve in the Illinois State Senate until 2004.
Carol Moseley Braun
Campaign button for the 1992 U.S. Senate campaign for Carol Moseley Braun. Braun served one term as a senator from 1993-1999. Her election was groundbreaking in two ways: she was the first female senator to be elected for Illinois, and she was the first Black woman in the U.S. Senate. Before entering United States politics, Braun was elected as an Illinois State representative. After her term as a state Rep, Braun worked as the Recorder of Deeds for Cook County, the first African American to hold executive position in Cook County. After her Senate term, she was appointed U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. She is currently the Chair of the U.S. African Development foundation.
Dick Durbin
Campaign button for Dick Durbin’s 2008 Senate campaign. Durbin has been a Senator for Illinois since 1997. Durbin currently the Senate Minority Whip and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Before starting his tenure in the Senate, Durbin was elected to the U.S House of Representatives in 1982. He’s represented Illinois in one of the houses of Congress ever since.
