Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2016.018.056 |
Object Name |
Button, Campaign |
Collection |
Matt Dole Collection |
Title |
Bricker campaign button |
Year Range from |
1939 |
Year Range to |
1945 |
Description |
Campaign button used for John W. Bricker's gubernatorial campaign. The front of the button reads: "RE-ELECT / BRICKER / GOVERNOR" The back of the button has a logo for the Green Duck Co. Chicago in blue ink, but is hard to read. |
Dimensions |
Dia-0.75 inches |
Material |
Metal |
Notes |
John William Bricker was born on September 6, 1893, near Mt. Sterling, Ohio. He attended public schools in Madison County and The Ohio State University. He graduated from Ohio State with an undergraduate degree in 1916. Bricker attempted to enlist in the United States Army during World War I, but the military refused to accept him because of a low pulse rate. Disappointed, Bricker did succeed in gaining entry to the Army Chaplain Corps. Upon the war’s conclusion, Bricker enrolled in the law school at The Ohio State University, graduating in 1920. Bricker began to practice law in Columbus, Ohio, in 1920, but he also quickly pursued a political career. From 1920 to 1928, he served as the city solicitor for Grandview Heights, Ohio. From 1923 to 1927, he also worked as one of Ohio’s assistant attorney generals. In 1932, Bricker became the attorney general of Ohio, only to leave this position in 1939, following winning election as the state’s governor, a position that he had first sought unsuccessfully in 1936. As governor, Bricker had to deal with the end of the Great Depression and World War II. He succeeded in eliminating the state’s deficit and also increased funding for Ohio’s schools. He served three terms, from 1939 to 1945. In 1944, Bricker, a Republican, had unsuccessfully run for the Vice Presidency of the United States. Upon ending his third term as governor, Bricker proceeded to win election to the U.S. Senate. He served two terms, from 1947 to 1959. He was unsuccessful in 1958 when he sought a third term. Bricker’s most famous act while a senator was his sponsorship of the Bricker Amendment. This act would have limited the president’s ability to enter into agreements with foreign nations. It lost by a single vote in the Senate and was never enacted. Following his defeat for reelection, Bricker returned to his law practice in Columbus. He died on March 22, 1986. |
Provenance |
Matt Dole donated this button to the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board museum collection in 2016 as part of a collection of items related to the Ohio Statehouse and the Ohio government. The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board took over the care of the Statehouse and its collections in 1988. |
People |
Bricker, John W. (John William), 1893-1986 |
Search Terms |
Ohio Governor Republican Party |
Subjects |
Campaigns, Political Governors Political campaigns Political candidates Political elections Politicians Politics & government |