The party of Reagan: External (but not internal) personalization

Abstract

ObjectiveThe purpose of this article is to assess whether the relationship that existed between Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party could reasonably be characterized as one of personalization/de‐institutionalization of the party.1MethodsThe authors employ the common conceptual framework developed for this special issue. Evidence is drawn from both popular journalism and scholarly sources.Results and ConclusionWhile bits of evidence exist for personalization, especially with regard to the external dimension, the collective evidence stops short of what is required to be considered de‐institutionalization of the party.