The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism

In this book, Henry Olsen contends that Ronald Reagan saw himself as the natural heir to Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal vision, aiming to provide comfort, dignity, and respect to all Americans who work to their best ability.

Olsen argues that Reagan's conservatism was not a rejection of the New Deal's promises but rather a continuation of its core principles.

He emphasizes that Reagan's success was rooted in his ability to connect with working-class voters and his pragmatic approach to governance, eschewing rigid ideology and dogma.

The book urges the Republican Party to rediscover and support the basic elements of FDR and Reagan's vision to achieve broader electoral success.