Former US Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate, dies aged 98

Former Republican Senator, three time pesidential candidate and World War II hero, Bob Dole died at the age of 98 on Sunday morning, December 5, his family has revealed.

Dole served as a senator for Kansas for 27 years and was the 1996 Republican presidential nominee losing to incumbent Bill Clinton. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, 85, and daughter Robin, 67.

'It is with heavy hearts we announce that Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep,' the Elizabeth Dole Foundation tweeted on Sunday.

'At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years. More information coming soon.' it added.

In February 2021, Dole announced he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer and in July 2021 was receiving immunotherapy to treat the disease, forgoing chemotherapy due to its negative effect on his body. 

Shortly after arriving at the White House from Camp David on Sunday afternoon, President Joe Biden sent a statement on Dole's passing.

'A month after being sworn in as President, one of the first conversations I had with anyone outside the White House was with our dear friends, Bob and Elizabeth Dole, at their home in Washington,' Biden wrote. 'Bob had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer, and I was were there (sic) to offer the same support, love, and encouragement that they showed me and Jill when our son Beau battled cancer, and that the Doles have shown us over the half century we've been friends.' It read 

Biden served as a U.S. senator with Dole for 24 years.

'In the Senate, though we often disagreed, he never hesitated to work with me or other Democrats when it mattered most,' Biden added