Paul Laxalt: The Nevada Governor and Senator Who Became Reagan's 'First Friend'

In 1976, Ronald Reagan came within a few hundred delegates of defeating a sitting president for his own party's nomination. The man who ran that campaign, who convinced Reagan it was worth trying, and who stood closest to him through two presidential runs and two terms in the White House, was a Nevada rancher's son from Carson City named Paul Laxalt.

If you moved to Las Vegas in the last decade or two, that name probably doesn't ring many bells. It should. Laxalt served as Nevada's governor, then as a U.S. senator for twelve years, and his friendship with Reagan put this state in the middle of one of the most consequential political partnerships of the twentieth century.

From Carson City to the National Stage

Paul Laxalt was born in 1922 in Reno, the son of a Basque shepherd who had immigrated from France. He worked his way through school, served in the Army during World War II, earned a law degree, and built a career in Nevada politics from the ground up. He was elected governor in 1966, narrowly defeating the Democratic incumbent, and served one term before returning to private practice. In 1974 he won a U.S. Senate seat. He held that seat until 1987.

He first met Ronald Reagan when both were governors — Laxalt in Nevada, Reagan in California. They were ideological allies from the start, both skeptical of federal expansion, both comfortable with the Western independent identity that Nevada politics has always carried. The friendship deepened through the 1970s as Reagan moved toward a national campaign.

Running Reagan's Campaigns

Laxalt chaired Reagan's presidential campaigns in both 1976 and 1980. The 1976 run is the one political historians find remarkable. Reagan challenged Gerald Ford, the sitting president, for the Republican nomination. It was a campaign most party insiders thought was reckless. Laxalt pushed it forward anyway, and Reagan came within striking distance of winning. Ford held on, lost to Jimmy Carter in the general election, and the stage was set for 1980.

When Reagan won the presidency in 1980, Laxalt's role shifted. He wasn't a cabinet member or a chief of staff. He was something rarer: a genuine friend with direct access. The press settled on a phrase for it. Reagan's election made Laxalt known as "the First Friend." Laxalt himself acknowledged the standing with some humor, saying Reagan was going to call him first anyway, so why would he need a formal leadership title.

Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker gave Laxalt a special position in the Republican Senate leadership during those years. When the Iran-Contra scandal broke and Baker was needed as White House chief of staff, it was Laxalt who suggested him for the job. His fingerprints were on the architecture of the Reagan era in ways that rarely made headlines.

What This Means for Nevada's Story

Laxalt's relationship with Reagan wasn't just personal history. It placed Nevada in the middle of the national conversation at a moment when the state was growing fast. The early 1980s brought significant federal policy decisions that affected Western land use, water rights, and federal spending in states like Nevada. Having the president's closest friend represent Nevada in the Senate gave the state a different kind of access than its small population would normally have earned.

UNLV history professor Michael Green has written about this period in depth, and UNR archives have documented the Laxalt-Reagan correspondence and the campaign work in detail. The record shows a relationship built over decades of shared political conviction, not just proximity to power.

Laxalt considered running for president himself in 1988 but withdrew before the primaries. He returned to law and stayed in Nevada until his death in 2018 at age 96.

Why It Still Matters Today

Nevada is one of the fastest-growing states in the country right now. People arrive every week from California, Texas, the Midwest, and points beyond, and they bring their own political histories with them. The story of who shaped Nevada's identity before the population boom is easy to lose.

Paul Laxalt represents a version of Nevada political culture that predates the growth era: independent, skeptical of federal control, built on personal relationships over institutional machinery. Whether you agreed with his politics or not, understanding that tradition helps explain how Nevada has handled statehood, land rights, and federal relationships differently than almost any other state.

If you're curious about more local history like this, the Crighton Rinaldi Team blog covers the people, places, and events that shaped the Las Vegas Valley long before most of us arrived.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Paul Laxalt and why is he significant to Nevada?

Paul Laxalt served as Nevada's governor from 1967 to 1971 and as a U.S. senator from 1974 to 1987. He is best known for his close personal and political friendship with Ronald Reagan, which earned him the nickname "the First Friend" after Reagan's 1980 presidential victory.

What role did Paul Laxalt play in Ronald Reagan's presidential campaigns?

Laxalt chaired both of Reagan's presidential campaigns, including the 1976 primary challenge to Gerald Ford and the successful 1980 general election campaign. His involvement went beyond campaign logistics — he was one of Reagan's most trusted advisors throughout both White House terms.

Where can I learn more about Paul Laxalt's life and career in Nevada?

The University of Nevada, Reno maintains archival records documenting the Laxalt-Reagan correspondence and campaign history. UNLV history professor Michael Green has also written and lectured on Laxalt's role in Nevada and national politics during the Reagan era.

Source: knpr.org