The LuLac Edition #4, 640, December 8th, 2021

 

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY #3

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo.

Former Congressional candidate Marc Holtzman shares his memories of the late Senator Bob Dole. The premier columnist in the region, Bill O’Boyle takes us through the journey of a friend and political ally of the Senator.

‘HIS MESSAGE WAS SO POSITIVE’: KINGSTON NATIVE HOLTZMAN REMEMBERS BOB DOLE

In 1986, 25-year-old Marc Holtzman decided to run for Congress. Holtzman, a Republican, lost that election to Democrat U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, who went on to serve 13 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

What Holtzman, 61, remembers most about that defeat is a call he received the day after the election from U.S. Sen. Bob Dole. “Senator Dole couldn’t have been more supportive,” said Holtzman, who now lives in Denver, Colorado. “I still remember the phone ringing at 11 a.m. His message was so positive.”

Dole died Sunday at the age of 98.

Holtzman said he didn’t receive many calls after the election, but Dole was sure to reach out and encourage the young man from Kingston to stay positive. Holtzman said Dole said, “I want you to let you know that you are a fine young man with a great future. A lot of great people lost their first election, so don’t be negative — learn from it and move forward.”

Holtzman said Dole basically told him to “buck up” and to keep going forward.  Holtzman, who chaired President Ronald Reagan’s Pennsylvania Campaign in 1980 — he was 19 — said he supported Dole in 1996 when he ran as the Republican presidential candidate.

First met in 1976

Holtzman, son of Seymour and Evelyn Holtzman of Kingston and Florida, said he first met Dole in 1976 when he made a campaign stop at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Dole ran as the GOP candidate for vice president with President Gerald R. Ford. “Back then, Pennsylvania was important in presidential races, but not as important as it is today,” Holtzman said. “I was thrilled to have my photo taken with Senator Dole. And 10 years later, when I ran for Congress, Senator Dole hosted an event for me at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C.”

Holtzman and Dole remained friends and worked together on business matters for years. “In 1998, when I was working in Europe, I introduced Senator Dole to and entrepreneur, Gabor Varczegi of Fotex, which at the time was the largest retailer in Hungary,” Holtzman said. “They became friends and Dole was asked to sit on the board. He and I were on the Fotex board together.” Later in 1998, Holtzman said he was doing a lot of work in Poland and met the country’s President Aleksander Kwasniewski.

“President Kwasniewski was scheduled to visit the U.S., but he did not (know) many people in American politics,” Holtzman said. “I reached out to Sen. Dole and asked him if he would host a dinner for President Kwasniewski. Senator Dole hosted the dinner that was attended by many of our nation’s leaders. Even after he retired from the Senate, Senator Dole remained very involved in helping where he could. He was a kind man and always willing to help.”

Holtzman said he will remember Dole “as somebody who had a heart as big as any arena.” Holtzman added, “A lot of people never saw that side of him. And he always said what was on his mind. He had a great, sometimes cutting, sense of humor.” Holtzman said he feels Dole would have been a great president. “He knew how to build consensus,” Holtzman said. “I read today that six months ago, as he was fighting his cancer diagnosis, President Biden offered to put a medical team together to help in Sen. Dole’s treatment. They had served for years together in the Senate and didn’t always agree on issues. But they remained close friends

“Senator Dole represented that civility that was needed to cross the aisle and work together. We could sure use that kind of leadership today.”

Holtzman’s career

Holtzman holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Lehigh University. He served as executive director of Citizens for America, former President Ronald Reagan’s national issues advocacy group.In the 1980 Presidential campaign, Reagan appointed Holtzman executive director of his Pennsylvania campaign — the youngest person to ever run a statewide campaign in a U.S. presidential election.

In 1989, Holtzman was nominated by President Reagan to the Peace Corps National Advisory Council.Holtzman and his wife Kristen, have four children, three girls and a boy, all under the age of 13.He said his father recently asked him to become CEO of his company, SH Holdings/Jewelcor. Holtzman serves as a Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Bank of Kigali, Rwanda’s largest financial institution. Previously, Holtzman was Chairman of Meridian Capital HK, a private equity firm with investments in natural resources, real estate, food, agriculture and transportation. Prior to joining Meridian, Holtzman served as Vice Chairman of Barclays Capital and as Vice Chairman of ABN Amro Bank.