Tonight: Elizabeth Dole's Pioneering Political Legacy

FLARE virtual program discusses Dole’s mission-filled life and explores what kind of first lady or president she would have made.

President Gerald Ford, Vice Presidential running mate Senator Robert Dole and Mrs. Elizabeth Dole debark Marine I to attend a Campaign Rally in the Senator’s hometown, Russell, Kansas, in August 1976. (Photo: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library)

When a man runs for president, but doesn’t win, he often slips from public view, sometimes to appear again in a position bolstered by his presidential bid. His spouse, the potential first lady who supported his campaign, is often erased completely from public memory. These politicos, also known as “also rans,” have made an impact on society that spans decades after their spousal support. One such person is former North Carolina senator, former Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Labor, and American Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole. 

The First Ladies Association for Research and Education will host this free program at 7 p.m. EDT.

Dole continues to lead a mission-filled purposeful life. When she campaigned for then GOP nominee husband B…