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/* U.S. House of Representatives */
Arends was first elected to the House in the 1934 midterms, defeating Democrat incumbent Frank Gillespie narrowly.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=262725 IL District 17 Race - Nov 06, 1934]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref> He was re-elected in a rematch the following election cycle,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=262867 IL District 17 Race - Nov 03, 1936]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref> and hardly faced any serious challengers in his following eighteen re-elections.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=33106 Candidate - Leslie C. Arends]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref>
Arends voted in favor of [[anti-lynching legislation]] in 1937<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/75-1/h27 TO PASS H. R. 1507, AN ANTI-LYNCHING BILL.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 14, 2021.</ref> and 1940.,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/76-3/h96 TO PASS H.R. 801, A BILL TO MAKE LYNCHING A FEDERAL CRIME.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 14, 2021.</ref> the Gavagan-Wagner bill and the Gavagan-Fisher bill respectively.<ref>[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/07/01/on-ideology-and-anti-lynching-legislation/ On Ideology and Anti-Lynching Legislation]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved June 14, 2021.</ref>
During World War II, Arends opposed the [[Lend-Lease Act]], relaxing neutrality laws, as well as naval construction projects.<ref name=wapo>Pierson, Richard (July 17, 1985). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1985/07/17/leslie-c-arends-89-dies/5749e25b-9c38-477d-ae06-bcfa275031a7/ Leslie C. Arends, 89, Dies]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref> He also opposed [[organized labor]] and supported agricultural projects. Becoming the Minority Whip in 1943,<ref name=latobituary>LAT Archives (July 17, 1985). [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-07-17-me-7907-story.html 30-Year House GOP Whip Leslie Arends Dies at Age 89 ]. ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref> Arends helped lead the powerful [[Conservative Coalition]] of Republicans and [[Boll Weevils]] which controlled the domestic agenda from 1937 to 1964. He supported [[Robert A. Taft]] over [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] for the 1952 Republican presidential nomination,{{fact}} and was an early supporter of the party's nominees [[Richard M. Nixon]] and [[Barry Goldwater]]<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/24/archives/goldwater-plans-delegate-watch-senators-aides-will-keep-track-at.html GOLDWATER PLANS DELEGATE WATCH; Senator's Aides Will Keep Track at Convention]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref> in the campaigns of the 1960s. In the [[United States presidential election, 1964|1964 presidential election]], Arends particularly denounced smears against Goldwater, describing those who spread the attacks as "hate-peddlers" employing a "big lie".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1964/09/30/archives/goldw-ater-backer-scores-hate-drive.html GOLDW ATER BACKER SCORES ‘HATE’ DRIVE]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved June 13, 2021.</ref>
