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In 1956, he lost his Senate seat after only two years to Governor Lausche, a popular Cleveland Democrat who carried the backing of many ethnic groups. Bender then worked as a special assistant to the [[United States Secretary of the Interior]], in which capacity he lobbied for the 1959 admission of [[Alaska]] as the 49th state.

In 1956, he lost his Senate seat after only two years to Governor Lausche, a popular Cleveland Democrat who carried the backing of many ethnic groups. Bender then worked as a special assistant to the [[United States Secretary of the Interior]], in which capacity he lobbied for the 1959 admission of [[Alaska]] as the 49th state.

In 1958, former Senator Bender was invited by [[Teamsters]] president [[Jimmy Hoffa]] to chair a commission investigating [[racketeering]] in the union. Bender reported that he had found no evidence of racketeering or "gangster" collusion. His two commission colleagues, however, disclaimed any responsibility for that finding. Bender was accused of blocking a 1956 investigation into the Teamsters, but the Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management recommended no action against Bender.<ref name=findagrave/>

In 1958, former Senator Bender was invited by [[Teamsters]] president [[Jimmy Hoffa]] to chair a commission investigating racketeering in the union. Bender reported that he had found no evidence of racketeering or "gangster" collusion. His two commission colleagues, however, disclaimed any responsibility for that finding. Bender was accused of blocking a 1956 investigation into the Teamsters, but the Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management recommended no action against Bender.<ref name=findagrave/>

Bender subsequently lost his bid to be a delegate to the 1960 Republican National Convention, which met in [[Chicago]] to nominate the ticket of Vice President Nixon and former U.S. Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.], of [[Massachusetts]]. In 1961, not long before his death at the age of fifty-four, Bender lost a bid for the position of Republican precinct committeeman. He died in Chagrin Falls, a Cleveland [[suburb]]. He is interred at Knollwood Cemetery in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.<ref name=findagrave/>

Bender subsequently lost his bid to be a delegate to the 1960 Republican National Convention, which met in [[Chicago]] to nominate the ticket of Vice President Nixon and former U.S. Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.], of [[Massachusetts]]. In 1961, not long before his death at the age of fifty-four, Bender lost a bid for the position of Republican precinct committeeman. He died in Chagrin Falls, a Cleveland [[suburb]]. He is interred at Knollwood Cemetery in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.<ref name=findagrave/>