I was running for the Illinois House of Representatives. The newspaper identified me as a candidate with a bow tie. And now it is more than a symbol for me. Because the public relations specialists tell me, get rid of the bow tie, get rid of the horn-rimmed glasses, change your views to accommodate the public opinion polls. My bow tie, in a sense, is my declaration of independence. I'm going to be my own person. You have to take me for what I am.

I was running for the Illinois House of Representatives. The newspaper identified me as a candidate with a bow tie. And now it is more than a symbol for me. Because the public relations specialists tell me, get rid of the bow tie, get rid of the horn-rimmed glasses, change your views to accommodate the public opinion polls. My bow tie, in a sense, is my declaration of independence. I'm going to be my own person. You have to take me for what I am., 61ff943b542f918087e4689202d59c08. Carl Albert Center Congressional and Political Collections. https://arc.libraryhost.com/repositories/3/digital_objects/60333 Accessed August 11, 2026.