Austin Levin Michigan Button, 1970
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| Austin Levin Michigan Button, c. 1970 |
$8.00 |
| Austin Levin Michigan Button, c. 1970 |
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| "Austin Levin," 1-5/8" Black/White/Yellow/Pink Litho. This button is something of a mystery. It is probably from the 1970 Michigan General Election, which elected Democrat Richard H. Austin as Secretary of State, while Sander Levin, the Democratic candidate for Governor, went down to defeat. The placement of Austin's name above that of Levin is, however, problematic, as the head of the ticket normally appears at the top of campaign items. In this care, it might reflect issuance of the item by Austin's campaign, rather than Levin's. Still the date has not been verified and it is also possible that the "Levin" is Carl Levin, rather than his brother, Sander. At any rate, assuming we have correctly identified the button, Richard H. Austin (1913-2001) was Michigan's first Black Secretary of State, serving from 1971 to 1994. Sander Levin was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Michigan in 1970 and 1974, losing both times to William G. Milliken. He was later elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he currently serves. |
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