One of the most recognizable political names Senator Bob Dole has passed away at the age of 98.
Dole passed Sunday morning after a lengthy battle with stage four lung cancer which he announced back in February. A native of Russell Kansas, Dole’s career spanned nearly 30-years and included serving as the Kansas representative in the US Senate from 1969 to 1996 and as the Senate Majority Leader for 11 years.
In a news release Sunday, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly stated “In public office, Senator Dole was always a voice for Kansas. However, his work in the Senate also had a profound impact on all Americans. Most notably, his efforts to protect Social Security in 1983 and to ensure passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, which transformed the lives of those living with a disability. Senator Dole’s legacy goes far beyond the walls of Congress. He was a larger-than-life presence in our nation’s politics and demonstrated a decency, a humility, and a civility that should serve as a model for those of us in public life.”
Prior to his time in politics, Dole served in the US Army during World War II during which time he was seriously injured in the midst of combat in Germany. Dole received two Purple Hearts for his injuries as well as a Bronze Star for valor.
Following a medical discharge in 1947 Dole would enter the political realm and be elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1950 where he served a two-year term. Dole also ran for President as the Republican nominee in 1996 and the Vice-Presidency in 1976 alongside then-President Gerald Ford.
Back in 2014, at the age of 91, Dole paid a visit to the local listening area making a stop in Emporia for a political dialogue with local residents in May of that year, followed by a rapid-fire tour that brought him to Chase, Coffey, Osage and Greenwood counties in July.
