California’s state capitol is finally getting a statue of Ronald Reagan, the Golden State’s only governor-turned-president to date.
The statue was reportedly commissioned by Doug Elmets, a former staffer for Reagan, when he realized that his former boss was “the only former governor-turned-president not to have a statue in his state’s capitol building,” according to a report by Sacramento’s KCRA… every United States president except for Reagan, until now.
Governor Jerry Brown approved legislation for the statue last fall. Elmets said it was “fortunate,” considering the fact that Reagan defeated Jerry’s father Pat Brown for governor of California in a landslide victory on November 8, 1966. The bill (AB 2358) was approved in September of 2012, and it officially authorized the construction of a Ronald Reagan statue inside California’s State Capitol.
The clay model statue, which will be dipped in bronze once completed, will capture Ronald Reagan as he was during his time as California’s governor. Sculptor Doug Van Howd was selected to create the monumental piece that will be placed in the lower rotunda of the state Capitol, KCRA notes.
Reagan began his first term as Governor of California on January 2, 1967, where he served in office until January 7, 1975. He became the 40th president of the United States of America in 1981, after he beat one-term President Jimmy Carter. Reagan went on to serve two presidential terms, the maximum allowed under the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.