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Ronald Reagan Upset there was "no place in the Republican party for me" as Deemed by a Conservative Colleague
Ronald Reagan Upset there was "no place in the Republican party for me" as Deemed by a Conservative Colleague
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Reagan Ronald

Ronald Reagan Upset that Conservative Colleague Deemed there was "no place in the Republican party for me"

1p TLS signed by future 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) as "Dutch" at bottom. Written in Pacific Palisades, California, on June 22, 1965. On watermarked white stationery with black embossed "Ronald Reagan / Pacific Palisades" letterhead. Expected wear including light paper folds and a minor corner fold, else near fine. 8.5" x 11". Accompanied by the original matching "Ronald Reagan / Pacific Palisades" transmittal envelope postmarked the following day.

This remarkable letter jampacked with political content was written just months before Ronald Reagan, the Republican Party's rising star, announced his intention to run for Governor of California. In it, Reagan outlined his political stance. Reagan had recently been beset by criticisms, sometimes from fellow conservatives, and he wanted to make explicit his views. Reagan was alternately portrayed as not conservative enough, or practically Fascist; he rejected both portraits. Later in the letter, Reagan provided insights into one of his views, this time condemning the blank check spending of LBJ's "great society."

In part, with unchanged spelling and grammar:

"It was good to hear from you and I appreciate your sending the column. Let me point out the column was not designed to help me in any way. Mr. Novak was in Cincinnatti and his account of the Press conference differs widely, not only from my own impression, but from the writings of other reporters who were present.

Actually its only a hint of what will follow. The idea is to create an image, and I will wind up in that image almost complete with swastika. You know of course how strongly I feel about unity and in this instance I'm afraid fairness forces one to recognize that the conservatives are doing more to promote unity than are those of a more liberal view. This was painfully evident in Ohio where it was apparent that some of the Eastern establishment are out to purge those who followed a different course in the last campaign.

I have never met Senator Case of New Jersey but he has just made a speech about me, and the implication was there is no place in the Republican party for me. I dont think there is no any great disagreement with regard to goals, for example I have stated over and over again that in the field of medical care, public funds should be used to see that no person lacks medical care because of a lack of money. I differ, however, from the great society in that I dont believe this means compulsory government paid care for citizens who have no need. I cite this as just an example of the basic difference between liberal and conservative, which is one of method while there is complete agreement on the humanitarian goal.

You and I could possibly have a little argument about Lindsay. I'd feel better about him if he would campaign without disavowing the word Republican. It somehow makes me think of the young man who avoids his mother and father at commencement because he doesn't think they are dressed well enough. I can see we are going to have to cross paths again, we have much to talk about…"

The mixture of liberal and conservative beliefs embodied by Reagan and mentioned in our letter led to a reshaping of the Republican Party, and the emergence of what has been called the "Reagan Democrat." Reagan was not strictly party-line on certain issues. On healthcare, for example, he was the first to acknowledge the systemic shortcomings of for-profit healthcare, though he officially opposed socialized medicine.

Our letter referred to Robert Novak (1931-2009), an American journalist who became chief congressional correspondent of the Wall Street Journal in 1961. Since 1963, the conservative leaning Novak had produced a column called the Inside Report (what proved to become the longest running American syndicated political column.) Before dying of terminal brain cancer, Novak was a contributor to Reader's Digest and the Associated Press, and was a CNN cohost.

Also mentioned is Clifford Philip Case II (1904-1982), a New Jersey Congressman and Senator whose track record demonstrated he was one of the most liberal senators in the Republican Party. He lost the 1968 bid for Republican Party presidential nominee to Richard Nixon.

At the time our letter was written, New York Congressman John Lindsay (1921-2000) was running for New York City Mayor. Although Lindsay had been elected as a Republican Congressman and was running on a Republican platform for mayor, he was endorsed by New York liberals. Lindsay later allied himself with the Liberal Party after losing Republican support in 1971.

Reagan's correspondent was Florence Welch (1918-1999), a childhood friend. The pair corresponded through 1983, and Florence, who was active among DeKalb County Republicans, helped arrange Reagan's appearance at the local meeting of the Women's Republican Club in 1965. Several of Reagan's letters to Welch are reproduced in Kiron K. Skinnner's Reagan: A Life in Letters.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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