California has finally given Ronald Reagan his due. An 8-foot-tall bronze statue of Reagan was unveiled at the state Capitol on Monday, the Sacramento Bee reported. It stands in the “lower rotunda” — really the basement — but it is substantial recognition nonetheless.
Reagan served as the Golden State’s governor from 1967 to 1975, before going on to become president in 1981. He’s the only governor from California to ascend to the Oval Office.
Nancy Reagan could not attend the statue unveiling, but in a note she expressed gratitude and shared recollections of Reagan’s years as governor. She offered photos of the shoes, tie and tie tack that appear on the statue.
Only three Democratic legislators attended the ceremony. California Gov. Jerry Brown didn’t attend but signed the sculpture legislation, including a message that recognized Reagan’s “courage and unique leadership ability.”
The majority of attendees were Republicans, several with connections to Reagan. Two Reagan cabinet secretaries attended: Energy Secretary John Herrington and Secretary of State George Shultz. Shultz, 94, told Reagan stories without notes for almost 12 minutes.
Doug Elmets, who worked in the White House during Reagan’s presidency, pushed the legislature to pass a bill authorizing the statue. For three years he worked to build support for it.
“Where has the civility gone?” Elmets told the Bee in 2012 about his efforts. “Regardless of your political views, you cannot deny that Ronald Reagan was one of the most politically transformative — and collaborative — figures in recent history.”
Legislation for the sculpture passed with bipartisan support that year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Reagan’s two terms governor of California have understandably received far less attention than his two terms as president. According to the Bee, the only other recognition from California was a portrait in the old Capitol. The California government did delegate a Reagan statue, but it was for the Capitol Rotunda in D.C., unveiled in 2009.
The federal government has awarded Reagan several honors. President Bill Clinton oversaw two major property dedications to Reagan in 1998: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, both in Washington, D.C.
The federal government and non-profits have also kept the former president and governor’s legacy alive. California is home to the Reagan Ranch and the Gipper’s final resting place, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
Emily Leayman is an intern at the Washington Examiner
