Dole, Robert Joseph (1923-2021), was the Republican nominee for president of the United States in 1996. He lost to his Democratic opponent, President Bill Clinton. A long-time congressional leader from Kansas, Dole had served more than 35 years in Congress. 
Early life.
Dole was born in Russell, Kansas, on July 22, 1923. His father owned a cream and eggs stand, buying cream and eggs from farmers and selling them in Russell. Later, he ran a grain elevator in the largely rural area. Robert—usually called Bob—was the second of four children.
Dole enrolled at the University of Kansas in September 1941. The United States entered World War II on Dec. 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese bombed American military facilities at Pearl Harbor. Dole enlisted in the Army in December 1942. He was sent to Europe in late 1944. In early 1945, he became a platoon leader in Italy, where U.S. forces were fighting Nazi Germans. Dole was severely wounded in April 1945. After three years of recovery, he regained his health. However, his right arm was permanently disabled.
Dole married Phyllis Holden in 1948. The couple had a daughter, Robin. The marriage ended in divorce in 1972. Dole received a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Washburn Municipal University (now Washburn University of Topeka) in 1952.
Political career.
In 1950, while still in law school, Dole was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives. From 1952 to 1958, he won four terms as county attorney (chief prosecutor) of Russell County.
Dole was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1960 and was reelected in 1962, 1964, and 1966. In 1968, he won his first of five six-year terms in the Senate. He became a strong defender of the policies of Republican President Richard M. Nixon and earned a reputation for his stinging criticisms of Democrats. Dole also served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1971 to 1973. 
In 1975, Dole married Elizabeth Hanford of North Carolina. Like Dole, Hanford had a long career in government. For details, see Dole, Elizabeth H.
Dole was the Republican nominee for vice president of the United States in 1976. President Gerald R. Ford and Dole were defeated by their Democratic opponents, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter and Senator Walter F. Mondale of Minnesota.
Dole was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in both 1980 and 1988. He served as majority leader of the Senate from 1985 to 1987 and as minority leader from 1987 to 1995. In January 1995, he became majority leader again.
In April 1995, Dole announced he would seek the 1996 Republican presidential nomination. By late March 1996, victories in primary elections had given him a sufficient number of committed delegates to win the nomination. In June, Dole resigned from the Senate to devote his time to the presidential campaign. In August, the Republican National Convention nominated Dole for president and Jack Kemp for vice president. The Democrats slated President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. The federal government had run a large budget deficit for many years. The question of how to reduce the deficit became a major campaign issue. In the presidential election in November, Clinton and Gore defeated Dole and Kemp. Dole died on Dec. 5, 2021.
