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WWII veteran, former US Senator, GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole has died

Bob Dole
Posted at 10:18 AM, Dec 05, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-05 12:40:17-05

Former U.S. senator and Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole has died.

He was 98.

His wife's foundation, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation, confirmed his death on Sunday.

"It is with heavy hearts we announce that Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep," the foundation said on social media. "At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years."

In February, Dole announced that he'd been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

According to the Wall Street Journal, he served six years in the US Army and was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service in World War II.

He was first elected to Congress in 1961 and ran for president several times before becoming the Republican nominee in 1996, losing to Bill Clinton.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth and their daughter Robin.