“I Like Ike” is one of the most memorable campaign slogans in American history. It was based on the nickname of Dwight Eisenhower who became famous not as a politician but as a military leader. A five-star general, Eisenhower’s role as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II made him an attractive post-war candidate to both Republicans and Democrats. Each party tried to convince him to become their presidential nominee in 1952. The Republican “Draft Eisenhower” movement gained momentum when the “I Like Ike” slogan came into use months before Eisenhower officially agreed to contend for the party’s nomination. The slogan soon appeared on a wide variety of campaign items. The majority of voters did like him—Eisenhower defeated his Democratic opponent Adlai Stevenson II twice, in 1952 and 1956.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.