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Bob Dole Net Worth - Pulptastic

What was Bob Dole’s net worth?

Bob Dole, a Republican politician and former US Senator from Kansas, has died at the age of 98. He had a net worth of $40 million at the time of his death, which was a combined net worth with his widow, Elizabeth Dole.

Dole served in the Senate from 1969 to 1996 and was the Republican nominee for president in 1996, ultimately losing to Bill Clinton. After retiring from public office, Dole appeared on television and served on various councils.

Elizabeth and Bob Dole’s Estimated Net Worth

According to Elizabeth’s 2007 Senate financial disclosure, she and Bob were worth between $14 million and $49 million. In 1996, during Bob’s Presidential campaign, they estimated their net worth to be $2.3 to $7.7 million, which would be equivalent to around $4 – $13 million today. At the time, Bob was earning a $148,000 salary as a Senator, $10,000 per year in speaking fees, and $18,660 in military retirement benefits. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was earning more than $100,000 per year in speaking fees, making around $900,000 from speaking fees alone between 1991 and 1994. She donated much of her earnings to the Red Cross.

Early Life and Education

Bob Dole was born on July 22, 1923 in Russell, Kansas to Doran and Bina. He graduated from Russell High School in 1941 and attended the University of Kansas, where he played basketball and football and participated in track. After enlisting in the US Army during World War II, he returned to school and earned degrees from the University of Arizona and Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

Bob Dole’s Military Service and Injury

In 1942, Bob Dole joined the US Army’s Enlisted Reserve Corps as a second lieutenant in the 10th Mountain Division. He was severely wounded by a German shell while engaged in combat in Italy in 1945. The injury shattered his collarbone and part of his spine, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. He was transported to a military hospital where he was expected to die, but survived in part due to the experimental drug streptomycin. He recovered at the Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan and earned two Purple Hearts for his injuries. He was medically discharged as a captain in 1947.

Political Career

Bob Dole entered politics in 1950, winning a seat in the Kansas House of Representatives. He later served as County Attorney of Russell County before being elected to the US House of Representatives in 1960, representing Kansas’s 6th congressional district. He served in the House until 1969.

Senate Career of Bob Dole

Bob Dole won election to the US Senate in 1968, succeeding retiring Senator from Kansas Frank Carlson. He served in the Senate until 1996, being reelected four times. During his tenure, Dole served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1971 to 1973, chairman of the Finance Committee from 1981 to 1985, and Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and 1995 to 1996. He also made significant contributions to the Agriculture Committee.

Bob Dole’s Presidential Campaigns

Bob Dole became involved in presidential politics in 1976 as the running mate of incumbent president Gerald Ford. However, they lost to Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. Dole ran for the Republican nomination in the 1980 and 1988 presidential elections but lost to Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, respectively.

In 1996, Dole finally secured the Republican presidential nomination on his third try. His running mate was former US Representative and professional football player Jack Kemp. However, Dole struggled to connect with the American people during his campaign, and his age of 73 made him appear frail compared to the incumbent president, Bill Clinton. Clinton won a second term in a landslide victory.

Bob Dole’s Post-Political Career

Following his unsuccessful presidential bid, Bob Dole retired from politics and pursued a successful career in public speaking, writing, consulting, and television appearances. He became a commercial spokesperson for several brands, including Viagra, Pepsi-Cola, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Dole also joined various organizations, including Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand; the American Society of Anesthesiologists; and Alston & Bird. He later served as the head of the Federal City Council in Washington, DC from 1998 to 2002.

Aside from his professional endeavors, Dole also engaged in volunteer work. He was national chairman of the World War II Memorial Campaign, co-founded the Bipartisan Policy Center, and created the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. He also authored several books, including his autobiography “One Soldier’s Story: A Memoir.”

Bob Dole’s Life and Health Struggles

Bob Dole married Phyllis Holden in 1948 and had a daughter named Robin. They divorced in early 1972. He then married Elizabeth Halford in late 1975.

Dole had various health issues throughout his life, including prostate cancer surgery in 1991, treatment for an abdominal aortic aneurysm a decade later, a hip replacement and hemorrhage in 2004, hospitalization for an elevated heart rate and sore legs requiring a skin graft procedure later in the decade, hospitalization for pneumonia in 2010, and for low blood pressure in 2017.

In early 2021, Dole announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, which ultimately took his life at the age of 98 at the end of the year.