A Reagan Fan Remembers

For 14 years, Sally Gulick offered her ranch-style home on Sorrento Drive in the Riviera as a polling station. During that time she saw her neighbor Ronald Reagan, who lived three blocks away on San Onofre, elected governor of California twice (1966 and 1970) and, in 1980, to the presidency of the United States. Gulick remembers well the media converging on her property each time, trampling the azaleas and front lawn to capture the Reagans as they exited her front door after casting their ballot. ‘The Reagans were always very gracious,’ recalled Gulick, as she poured through the memorabilia collection in her family room, which is where the voting took place. She talked about always having a supply of jelly beans available on election day (‘black were his favorite’) and shared several photographs autographed by the couple, as well as a picture of the Reagans shaking the hand of her German shepherd, Dammit, who has since passed away. Although the photograph of the Reagans with the dog appeared in newspapers around the world, the dog’s name was censored out because of the language police of the day. ‘The Reagans had a German shepherd as well. In fact, they had two of them,’ said Gulick, who was a member of the Pacific Palisades Republican Women’s Club at the time and a devoted fan of Reagan. She saw allowing her home to be used for voting as a public service. ‘We always had a large turnout here in the Riviera,’ Gulick said. ‘When he first ran for governor, 95 percent of those registered in this precinct voted. I know he had the support of many of the neighbors. I think he was a great governor, a great president and a great man. I felt sad when I heard he had passed away.’ Gulick also remembers registering voters with Nancy Reagan at the Brentwood Country Mart. ‘Every Saturday, I would set up a card table and two chairs. Nancy would often join me, talking to shoppers and making sure they signed up as Republicans.’