Gerald R. Ford
Michigan congressman and House Republican leader who became vice president and then president without being elected to either office.
Overview
Ford represented Grand Rapids in the House from 1949 to 1973, served on the Warren Commission investigating the Kennedy assassination, and in 1965 ousted Charles Halleck to become House minority leader. Known for his affability and party loyalty, he led House Republicans for eight years, hoping someday to become Speaker. In 1973 Richard Nixon nominated him to replace Vice President Spiro Agnew, and he became the first vice president confirmed under the Twenty-fifth Amendment. When Nixon resigned in August 1974, Ford became president and soon issued Nixon a full pardon, a decision that shadowed his 1976 campaign.
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