John Jacob Rhodes

Rhodes, John Jacob (1916– ), U.S. political leader. A lawyer in Mesa, Ariz., he was the first Republican ever elected by Arizona to the U.S. House of Representatives. He chaired the Republican House Policy Committee (1965–73) and served as House Minority Leader (1973–81), replacing Gerald R. Ford, who was chosen vice president by President Richard Nixon. Rhodes was a fiscal conservative who supported federal projects aimed at increasing Arizona's water supply.