There was a time when...
political campaigns traveled through communities one handshake, newspaper advertisement, yard sign, and campaign button at a time. Before social media and digital advertising, a bright pin worn on a coat or displayed in a storefront could turn an ordinary citizen into a walking endorsement.
This oversized “Andrews for Governor” button carries that visual energy more than six decades later.
The button was produced for Mark Andrews’ 1962 campaign for governor of North Dakota. Andrews, a Republican national committeeman at the time, challenged incumbent Democratic-NPL Governor William L. Guy in the November election. Guy retained the office by an exceptionally narrow margin, receiving 115,258 votes to Andrews’ 113,251—a difference of just 2,007 votes.
A Campaign Before Congress
Although Andrews did not win the governorship, the campaign became an important chapter in a much longer political career.
In 1963, he won a special election to the U.S. House of Representatives. He remained in the House through 1981 before serving one term in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1987. His congressional career ultimately spanned more than two decades representing North Dakota.
Collector Appeal
Political buttons preserve history in a form that is immediate, graphic, and personal. Unlike official documents, they were designed to be carried into parades, rallies, diners, county fairs, and neighborhood conversations.
Collectors may appreciate this example for its:
- Documented connection to the 1962 governor’s race
- Bold diagonal red-and-cream composition
- Large approximately 3.5-inch format
- North Dakota regional significance
- Marked Fargo, ND, manufacturer
The reverse construction and edge markings also help tell the story of how campaign materials were produced and distributed locally.
Displayed today, this button represents more than a candidate’s name. It recalls a remarkably close election, an earlier style of grassroots campaigning, and the beginnings of a North Dakota political career that would later reach both chambers of Congress.
