Reagan Day
The Reagan Day celebration is a name sometimes given to the primary annual fundraising event of the U.S. Republican Party on local and state levels. It is named after the late President Ronald Reagan and is held in February or March depending on the location.
A movement to rename the traditional Lincoln Day dinner as Reagan Day has been underway for several years but gained momentum after Reagan's death on June 5, 2004. Though not yet as common as Lincoln Day, Reagan Day is growing in popularity particularly in the southern states, Reagan's home state of California, and the counties near his boyhood home in Illinois.
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[edit] California statewide observance
In July 2010, Reagan's home state of California enacted a law authored by Senator George Runner that officially observed Ronald Reagan Day every February 6 throughout the state.[1]
As Reagan was the 33rd Governor of California and that state's only Governor to become President of the United States, several of his successors proclaimed February 6 as Ronald Reagan Day in California in his honor. Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, proclaimed February 6 Ronald Reagan Day in both 2002[2] and 2003.[3] Davis's Republican successor, Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed February 6 Ronald Reagan Day in 2004,[4] 2005,[5] 2006,[6] 2007,[7] 2008,[8] 2009,[9] and 2010.[10]
Schwarzenegger's immediate successor, Jerry Brown (who was ironically, Reagan's immediate successor as Governor 36 years beforehand and who was also the son of Pat Brown, whom Reagan defeated in the 1966 election to become Governor) proclaimed Ronald Reagan Day in 2011[11] though he was obligated to do so by the state law passed in July 2010.
[edit] County GOP organizations that have Reagan Day celebrations
- Alachua County, Florida
- Beaufort County, North Carolina
- Cabarrus County, North Carolina
- Catawba County, North Carolina
- Cumberland County, North Carolina
- Davie County, North Carolina
- Iredell County, North Carolina
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
- Harris County, Texas
- Lee County, Illinois
- Livingston County, Michigan
- Orange County, Texas
- Robertson County, Tennessee
- Rutherford County, Tennessee
- Tipton County, Tennessee
- Washington County, Ohio
- Williamson County, Texas
- Marion County, West Virginia (since 2005)
[edit] References
- ^ "Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation Honoring President Ronald Reagan". Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. July 19, 2010. http://gov38.ca.gov/press-release/15616/.
- ^ "Governor Davis Proclaims February 6, 2002 "Ronald Reagan Day" in California". Office of the Governor. February 6, 2002. http://www.gray-davis.com/ViewLibraryItem.aspx?ID=6452.
- ^ "Governor Gray Davis California Proclamations for February 2003". Office of the Governor. February 13, 2003. http://www.gray-davis.com/ViewLibraryItem.aspx?ID=6531.
- ^ "Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims February 6th "Ronald Reagan Day"". Office of the Governor. January 29, 2004. http://www.gov38.ca.gov/press-release/3251/.
- ^ "Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims February 6th "Ronald Reagan Day" - Proclamation by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger". Office of the Governor. February 4, 2005. http://gov38.ca.gov/proclamation/2020/.
- ^ "Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims February 6, 2006 "Ronald Reagan Day"". Office of the Governor. January 20, 2006. http://gov38.ca.gov/proclamation/569/.
- ^ "February 6, 2007, as "Ronald Reagan Day" - Proclamation by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger". Office of the Governor. January 26, 2007. http://gov38.ca.gov/proclamation/5273/.
- ^ "February 6, 2008, as "Ronald Reagan Day" - Proclamation by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger". Office of the Governor. January 22, 2008. http://gov38.ca.gov/proclamation/8656/.
- ^ "Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Proclamation for Ronald Reagan Day". Office of the Governor. February 5, 2009. http://gov38.ca.gov/press-release/11466/.
- ^ "February 6, 2010, as "Ronald Reagan Day" - Proclamation by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger". Office of the Governor. February 4, 2010. http://gov38.ca.gov/proclamation/14367/.
- ^ "Governor Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring Ronald Reagan Centennial Day". Office of Governor Jerry Brown. February 4, 2011. http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=16902.
