Keywords

Republican Party, Election, Ronald Reagan, 2016, Presidential Election

Abstract

While not all references are as blatant as Donald Trump’s slogan, “Let’s Make America Great Again,” it is hard to deny that Ronald Reagan is everywhere in the 2016 Presidential campaign. Whether it is the Republican primary debate in front of his Air Force One, Jeb Bush’s “Reagan-Bush 80” t-shirt, or the frequent rhetorical evocations by the candidates, it is hard to miss Reagan’s shadow hanging over the Republican candidates, their policies, and their visions for America. But how exactly are these candidates using Ronald Reagan? What kind of role do these references play in overall campaign strategy? What can this study reveal about the use of historical figures in modern day politics? This paper will take up these questions and analyze the rhetorical use of Reagan in the 2016 Republican Primary thus far.

Publisher

University of Puget Sound

Faculty Advisor

William Haltom

Publication Date

Fall 2015

Genre

Dissertation/Thesis

Format

PDF

Discipline

Politics & Government

Track

U.S. Politics

Subject Area

American Politics | Political History | Political Science

Download

Share

COinS