Presidential Biographies | Reagan Administrations - Reagan and Congress

Reagan and Congress

Reagan was in office during the 97th, 98th, 99th, and 100th congresses. Republicans riding Reagan's coattails made gains in the congressional elections of 1980 and won the Senate majority for the first time in 26 years, but the House of Representatives retained a Democratic majority. Reagan recognized that he would have to work with them, and find ways to win Democrats over to his policy initiatives. He was able to cultivate a group of southern Democrats, nicknamed the "Boll Weevils," after the pests whose larvae are born in cotton bolls and burrow from within to destroy the crop. Despite their party allegiance, their conservative constituents made them sympathetic to Reagan's policy agenda. For the first six years of his administration his personal popularity made all Democrats wary of thwarting his pet projects, lest they lose the support of their own districts. The Republicans retained control of the Senate in...