Robert VanderLaan

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Robert VanderLaan

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| image = Robert VanderLaan 1976.png

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| order = 5th

| office = List of Majority Leaders of the Michigan Senate{{!}}Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate

| term_start = 1971

| term_end = 1974

| predecessor = Emil Lockwood

| successor = Milton Zaagman

| office2 = Member of the Michigan Senate

| term_start2 = January 1, 1963

| term_end2 = December 31, 1982

| predecessor2 = Charles R. Feenstra

| successor2 = Dick Posthumus

| prior_term2 = 17th District (1963-1964)

| constituency2 = 17th district (1963–1964)
31st district (1965–1982)

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|06|04}}

| birth_place = Paris Township, Michigan

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|11|01|1930|06|04}}

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| party = Republican

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Robert "Robbie" VanderLaan (c. 1930-November 1, 2015[http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?n=robert-vanderlaan&pid=176312362&fhid=21051 Robert VanderLaan Obituary | MLive.com]) was a former majority leader of the Michigan State Senate.The Political Graveyard: [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/vanche-vandewater.html#330.63.46 VanderLaan, Robert] A Republican, he ran to replace Gerald Ford as representative for Michigan's 5th congressional district in a 1974 special election, but was defeated by Democrat Richard Vander Veen. It was seen as a stunning upset; VanderLaan had previously never lost an election and the district had long been considered a Republican stronghold. He served in the Senate for 20 years in total; after retirement he joined Democrat Bobby Crim in forming a lobbying firm; he also had a career as a lawyer.[http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/10/polpourri_for_oct_24_patrick_m.html Polpourri: Patrick Miles doesn't have confidence in Pelosi to 'heal the partisan divide' | MLive.com]