Bob Dole tries to boost Mitt Romney ahead of this weekend’s Kansas caucuses

By Glen Johnson

March 8, 2012

1 minute to read

Bob Dole, the Republicans’ 1996 presidential nominee and a former US senator from Kansas, today reasserted his endorsement of Mitt Romney in advance of this weekend’s Kansas caucuses.

“I’ve known Governor Romney for some time and Kansas would be well-served if he wins in our state on Saturday. He is a man of high standards. He is a main street conservative and knowing the Congress as I do I believe he will have great success in working with Republicans and Democrats once he is inaugurated,’’ Dole said in a statement.

Romney is attempting to build off his six-state win on Super Tuesday with a victory in Kansas.

Dole and his wife, Elizabeth, endorsed Romney in December. But he has involved himself in the race at several other points, including in late January when he attempted to blunt Newt Gingrich’s then-ascent in the race.

In an open letter distributed by Romney, Dole noted that Gingrich was thrown out as House speaker four years – the equivalent of one presidential term – after leading the party to a majority in the chamber.

Dole is a former Senate majority leader whose tenure overlapped with that of Gingrich from 1995 until he ran for president a year later.

“Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him, and that fact speaks for itself,’’ Dole said then. “He was a one-man-band who rarely took advice. It was his way or the highway.’’