Changes

In [[1962 Midterm Elections|1962]], he won election as a Republican to the [[United States House of Representatives]] from the North Shore district of Illinois;<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37050 IL District 13 Race - Nov 06, 1962]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> he was reelected in 1964,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37049 IL District 13 Race - Nov 03, 1964]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> [[1966 Midterm Elections|1966]],<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37051 IL District 13 Race - Nov 08, 1966]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> and 1968.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37052 IL District 13 Race - Nov 05, 1968]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref>

In [[1962 Midterm Elections|1962]], he won election as a Republican to the [[United States House of Representatives]] from the North Shore district of Illinois;<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37050 IL District 13 Race - Nov 06, 1962]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> he was reelected in 1964,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37049 IL District 13 Race - Nov 03, 1964]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> [[1966 Midterm Elections|1966]],<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37051 IL District 13 Race - Nov 08, 1966]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> and 1968.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37052 IL District 13 Race - Nov 05, 1968]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref>

During his time in the House, Rumsfeld was a close ally of [[Moderate Republican]] then-representative [[Gerald Ford]] of [[Michigan]]. Following Republican defeats in the 1964 elections coinciding with [[Barry Goldwater]]'s landslide defeat in the presidential race by incumbent Democrat [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], Rumsfeld led the effort to replace conservative House Republican leader [[Charles A. Halleck]] with Ford,<ref name=huffpost/> which ultimately proved successful.<ref>Barnes, Bart (March 4, 1986). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1986/03/04/ex-house-majority-leader-charles-halleck-dies-at-85/4ff145b4-b00c-4547-b96d-708e68fed13d/ Ex-House Majority Leader Charles Halleck Dies at 85]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> He later reflected in a 2009 interview:<ref>[https://geraldrfordfoundation.org/centennial-docs/oralhistory/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Donald-Rumsfeld.pdf Gerald R. Ford Oral History Project]. ''Gerald R. Ford Foundation''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref>

During his time in the House, Rumsfeld was a close ally of [[Moderate Republican]] then-representative [[Gerald Ford]] of [[Michigan]]. Following Republican defeats in the 1964 elections coinciding with [[Barry Goldwater]]'s landslide defeat in the presidential race by incumbent Democrat [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], Rumsfeld led the effort to replace conservative House Republican leader [[Charles A. Halleck]] with Ford,<ref name=huffpost/> which ultimately proved successful.<ref>Barnes, Bart (March 4, 1986). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1986/03/04/ex-house-majority-leader-charles-halleck-dies-at-85/4ff145b4-b00c-4547-b96d-708e68fed13d/ Ex-House Majority Leader Charles Halleck Dies at 85]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref> He later reflected in a 2009 interview:<ref>[https://geraldrfordfoundation.org/centennial-docs/oralhistory/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Donald-Rumsfeld.pdf Gerald R. Ford Oral History Project]. ''Gerald R. Ford Foundation''. Retrieved June 30, 2021.</ref>

{{cquote|We thought that Gerald Ford would present a face for the Republican Party that would give us a better chance of increasing our numbers. Why be in Congress unless you are striving to be the majority party? Why would you not want to accomplish that? We felt we would have a much better chance with Gerald Ford.}}

{{cquote|We thought that Gerald Ford would present a face for the Republican Party that would give us a better chance of increasing our numbers. Why be in Congress unless you are striving to be the majority party? Why would you not want to accomplish that? We felt we would have a much better chance with Gerald Ford.}}