Bob Dole

Robert Joseph Dole (born July 22, 1923) is an American lawyer and politician who represented Kansas in Congress from 1961 to 1996 and served as the Republican Leader of the United States Senate from 1985 until 1996. He was the Republican presidential nominee in the 1996 presidential election and the party's vice presidential nominee in the 1976 presidential election. Born in Russell, Kansas, Dole established a legal career in Russell after serving with distinction in the United States Army during World War II. After a stint as County Attorney he won election to the United States House of Representatives in 1960. He compiled a moderate voting record, supporting the major civil rights bills and some of the Great Society programs. Dole defeated Governor William H. Avery in Kansas's 1968 United States Senate Republican primary and went on to win the general election. He served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1971 to 1973 and as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from 1981 to 1985. He led the Senate Republicans from 1985 to his retirement in 1996, and served as Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and from 1995 to 1996. In his role as Republican leader, he helped defeat President Bill Clinton's health care plan. President Gerald Ford chose Dole as his running mate in the 1976 election after Ford dropped Vice President Nelson Rockefeller from the ticket. Ford was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter in the general electio