"Following the death of U.S. Representative Carl E. Mapes, in December 1939, a special election was held on February 19, 1940 to fill the vacancy. Jonkman was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 5th congressional district to the 76th United States Congress, serving from February 19, 1940 to January 3, 1949. In the 1948 Republican primary, he was defeated for re-election by Gerald Ford. Bartel J. Jonkman had become unpopular largely due to his isolationist position on foreign policy. He resumed the practice of law and died in Grand Rapids..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartel_J._Jonkman
"After returning to Grand Rapids, Ford became active in local Republican politics, and supporters urged him to take on Bartel J. Jonkman, the incumbent Republican congressman. Military service had changed his view of the world. 'I came back a converted internationalist', Ford wrote, 'and of course our congressman at that time was an avowed, dedicated isolationist. And I thought he ought to be replaced. Nobody thought I could win. I ended up winning two to one.'" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford
Suppose Jonkman, like his fellow Grand Rapids Dutchman Arthur Vandenberg, had undergone a conversion to internationalism during World War II? Does Ford still run against him? If not, does Ford ever run for the seat? Most likely, on Jonkman's retirement (or death in 1955) some Grand Rapids Republican (who didn't run in 1948 in OTL because incumbent Congressmen are usually throught to be unbeatable in primaries) older and better-known than Ford will win the seat.
If that happens, who challenges Charles Halleck for the House Republican leadership in 1965? (This was more a generational than an ideological challenge, btw; younger GOP Representatives, both moderate and conservative, tended to vote for Ford, older ones for Halleck.) Maybe Ford's OTL friend Melvin Laird? And who does Nixon appoint as vice-president in 1973?
"After returning to Grand Rapids, Ford became active in local Republican politics, and supporters urged him to take on Bartel J. Jonkman, the incumbent Republican congressman. Military service had changed his view of the world. 'I came back a converted internationalist', Ford wrote, 'and of course our congressman at that time was an avowed, dedicated isolationist. And I thought he ought to be replaced. Nobody thought I could win. I ended up winning two to one.'" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford
Suppose Jonkman, like his fellow Grand Rapids Dutchman Arthur Vandenberg, had undergone a conversion to internationalism during World War II? Does Ford still run against him? If not, does Ford ever run for the seat? Most likely, on Jonkman's retirement (or death in 1955) some Grand Rapids Republican (who didn't run in 1948 in OTL because incumbent Congressmen are usually throught to be unbeatable in primaries) older and better-known than Ford will win the seat.
If that happens, who challenges Charles Halleck for the House Republican leadership in 1965? (This was more a generational than an ideological challenge, btw; younger GOP Representatives, both moderate and conservative, tended to vote for Ford, older ones for Halleck.) Maybe Ford's OTL friend Melvin Laird? And who does Nixon appoint as vice-president in 1973?