stopped campaigning directly against his opponent, and instead took out newspaper advertisements "in which he promised to do his utmost to dislodge Nixon and turn the presidency over to Ford, a political folk hero in the district." This upset caused a panic in the Republican Party leadership, as it appeared to foreshadow more losses for the party in the November elections. Political analyst Larry Sabato writes in his Crystal Ball newsletter that Vander Veen's capture of Gerald Ford's solidly Republican district after Ford had been elevated to the Vice Presidency was an electrifying victory that foreshadowed the Democratic Watergate landslide of November 1974. (see also 1974 Midterm Senate and House elections) Vander Veen was reelected in November 1974 to a full term in the 94th Congress, but lost his seat in 1976 to Republican Harold S. Sawyer. In 1978, Vander Veen ran for the United States Senate, but lost his bid for the Democratic nomination to Carl Levin, who went on to win the general election in November. Vander Veen formed two environmental companies: Resource Energy and Enigered. In 1990, he founded the Ryerson Library Foundation, and served as its president. After his service in Congress, Vander Veen served as a member of the Michigan State Waterways Commission. Vander Veen died of prostate cancer at his home in East Grand Rapids at the age of 83. References External links The Political Graveyard Congressman Vern Ehlers' note to Members of Congress about the death of former Congressman Vander Veen 1922 births 2006 deaths Politicians from Grand Rapids, Michigan American people of Dutch descent Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan 20th-century American politicians School board members in Michigan People from East Grand Rapids, Michigan Harvard Law School alumni University of South Carolina alumni United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy personnel of the Korean War Deaths from prostate cancer Deaths from cancer in Michigan