Representative Edward Roybal’s rocket-shaped campaign button was certain to catch the attention of his constituents. Although Roybal, a Democrat from California, served in Congress for nearly 30 years, it is likely that this button was produced early in his career, reflecting the influence of President Kennedy’s New Frontier movement and the Space Race of the 1960s. Roybal’s first term in Congress saw the completion of the Mercury missions to space and preparations for the Gemini missions.
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