Dixon, Illinois – Locals in the late president's hometown had mixed feelings about whether Ronald Reagan would be welcomed in today's Republican Party at the “Reagan” movie premiere in Dixon, Illinois.
Many political commentators would argue that today's MAGA movement looks and feels different from the party that was once made up of traditional Reagan conservatives, but actor Dennis Quaid, who plays Reagan in the new biopic, didn't hesitate when asked if he'd be open to leading the party in 2024.
“Reagan would be the leader of the Republican Party right now. There's no question about that,” Quaid told Fox News Digital on the front porch of Reagan's childhood home. “In some ways, this country is yearning for that. He was also a man of his time. And I think those ideals are still there in the Republican Party today.”
Dennis Quaid thrills locals at Dixon, Illinois premiere of 'Reagan', says Hollywood has 'forgotten' small towns
Quaid said that before he became president, Reagan endured hardships similar to those America is facing today. (Showbiz Direct)
As Dixon locals waited in line for the Aug. 22 premiere of “Reagan” at the Dixon Historic Theatre, presented by the Young America's Foundation, they offered mixed reactions to Reagan's presence in today's Republican Party, with some saying his policies and temperament were at odds with the modern movement.
“I think they've gone too far into the far-right edge,” Kevin Strzok of Sterling, Ill., said of the party's policy shifts. “Reagan was a moderate. I don't think it's welcome.”
Some analysts say former presidents Trump and Reagan At least it was similar Their populist theories share commonalities, but some others point out clear differences.
As author Edwin G. Oswald put it, “Reagan would not be welcome in today's Republican Party.Reagan argued that his immigration policies were “much more liberal than those of today's Republican Party.” He signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986, granting amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. In recent years, with the rise of Trump, more Republicans have spoken out against offering a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and have placed a renewed emphasis on border control and preventing illegal immigration in the first place.
John Lehman of the Wall Street Journal wrote:Reagan never voted for Trump”
“President Reagan's 11th commandment was 'Don't speak ill of other Republicans,' but Donald Trump is not an heir to President Reagan's legacy. He is an affront to that legacy,” Lehman said. “The President I knew would have been appalled that an unqualified man like Trump had become the standard-bearer of the Republican Party. President Reagan also strongly opposed President Biden's policies and never trusted or cared about Biden, who was a senator at the time.”
Several people at the “Reagan” premiere praised his integrity, his moral character and his ability to “agree with differences,” suggesting that these qualities are absent from the current presidential candidates and that today's politicians are more interested in tearing each other down.
Asked whether Reagan was a fit for today's Republican Party, a local resident replied, “Sorry, probably not.”
Dennis Quaid almost turned down the role of Reagan, but something happened that made him decide to take the role.
President Reagan meets with members of Congress in the Cabinet Room about the situation in Grenada. (From left: Congressman Bob Michel, Speaker Tip O'Neill, the President, and Senator Howard Baker.) (Bettman/Contributor/Getty)
But a few, like Mr. Quaid, thought Mr. 40 would be welcomed as party leader. Mr. Quaid and Dwight D. Eisenhower are the only Republicans since World War II to win two consecutive terms and receive a majority of the popular vote both times.
“I think so,” said Sarah Ortgiessen, a Dixon resident who walked in the Reagan inaugural parade. “Personally, I think so. I think he would know how to do it. He was an actor, too,” she laughed.
“Yeah, I think so,” Becky Anderson of Rock Falls, Illinois, told Fox News Digital before seeing “Reagan.” “I think most true Republicans look at Ronald Reagan as a model of what a true Republican should be.”
The comparison and contrast sheds light on the policies of the leaders. Trump recently denounced Vice President Kamala Harris's plan to end price gouging as “socialist” and called her “Comrade Kamala.” Quaid offered his thoughts on what President Reagan would say about Harris' economic policies.
Trump assassination attempt brings back memories of similar attack on President Reagan
Dennis Quaid as Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office (Noah “Nanea” Hamilton/Rawhide Pictures)
“When it comes to price controls, I know Reagan would not have supported them because he believed in free markets. Price controls would find their own path,” Quaid said.
“Reagan won the Cold War,” Quaid said. “He also testified that the Communists were trying to take over the unions in Hollywood — not just the actors' union, but the set producers' union, the cameramen's union, the writers' union — they were trying to take over all the unions and make them into one. And, of course, they had to take over the actors' union first. That was the hardest thing to do.”
“And Reagan resisted this at the time,” Quaid continued, “and when he testified before Congress, he said that we as a nation should allow the Communist Party to come into the country and say what they think and all that stuff, because democracy can handle that. And the problem will solve itself, because people will see common sense in things. He believed in common sense.”
Reagan and Trump also stunned their respective political circles by winning the presidential elections of 1980 and 2016, both of which are widely seen as having reshaped the political landscape.
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Reagan and Trump have one indisputable commonality: They both survived assassination attempts, and Quaid and his constituents spoke with solemn sympathy for the political violence that nearly took their lives.
“Well, I had the same reaction I did when Reagan got shot,” Quaid said. “I was so glad he survived. When Reagan got shot, my first thought was remembering when Kennedy got shot. Kennedy getting shot damaged the soul of our country for decades. It was Ronald Reagan who actually restored that soul.”
“Reagan” is in theaters now.
Fox News Digital's Kendall Teets contributed to this report.
