JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.9/themes/base/jquery-ui.css">
<label for="foo:bar">A working button</label><input type="button" id="foo:bar" value="button"/><br/>
<label for="bar:baz">Here is the failing checbox button</label><input type="checkbox" id="bar:baz" checked="checked"/><br/>
<div id="error"></div>

CSS

#error { color:red; }

JavaScript

$('#foo\\:bar').button();
try {
$('#bar\\:baz').button();
} catch(err) {
    $('#error').append(err.toString());
}