Ed Rollins - Reagan Administration, 1981-83

Reagan Administration, 1981-83

Rollins had been reunited briefly with Reagan when Nofziger asked him to help with communications at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit. After the landslide GOP victory in November 1980, Rollins was hired to serve as Deputy Assistant to the President for Political Affairs under Nofziger. When Nofziger resigned in November 1981, Rollins was appointed as Assistant to the President for Political Affairs and Director of the Office of Political Affairs.

Rising unemployment rates and other economic indicators dominated the 1982 midterm elections, as the Republicans argued for voters to "Stay the course" by continuing Reagan's economic policies of lower taxes and holding down the growth of spending. Rollins was responsible for coordinating the White House's political operations, and President Reagan's schedule, with party committees, campaigns and candidates. In the November 1982 balloting, the GOP had a 26-seat loss in the House, but gained one seat in the Senate, averting a Democratic landslide.

A week before the election, on October 25, Rollins suffered two strokes, the result of a deteriorating neck artery that had been injured during his final boxing match in 1967. He recovered and returned to his White House job in December 1982, holding the position until resigning in October 1983 to lead Reagan's re-election campaign. In the second term, he rejoined the Reagan Administration for several months in 1985 as Assistant to the President for Political and Governmental Affairs.