Jack Kemp battling cancer

BALTIMORE, MD ( WIVB) - He fought his way to victory with the Buffalo Bills and then went on to become a longtime western New York congressman, HUD secretary and vice-presidential candidate.

Now, Jack Kemp is fighting a different battle,  cancer.

He's faced challenges on the football field and in the political arena, and now at age 73, there is another challenge for Jack Kemp.

The former United States Housing Secretary and Congressman has been diagnosed with an "undetermined" type of cancer.

Former Bills teammate and Erie County Executive Ed Rutkowski spoke with Kemp just last week.

Rutkowski said, "He's got a great attitude and he's gonna fight this thing and I'm sure eventually he's going to win."

Winning is common for the former All-Star quarterback who led the team to two consecutive AFL championships in the 60s.

Then Kemp shifted to politics, always pushing his supply side model of big tax cuts. He served in Congress from 1971-89, and ran for president in 1988. After that, he became George H.W. Bush's housing secretary, and Bob Dole tapped Kemp to be his runningmate in 1996.

Dole (R-presidential candidate) said, "I like people around me who have ideas. That's why I picked Jack Kemp for my running mate. Jack has ideas and I like ideas." (1996)

After fighting for others his whole career, this fight is his own.

Former congressional aide to Kemp Russ Gugino said, "A lot of people know Jack Kemp as a Congressman who has done so much publicly for this community and for this country. But I think Jack would say that his proudest accomplishment is his family and his faith."

It's his family and faith that will sustain him in this difficult time.

Kemp's spokesperson says while being treated at Johns Hopkins, he will continue to serve as chairman of Kemp Partners and remain involved in charitable and political activities.