Reagan’s granddaughter, Kevin McCarthy honor Reagan’s legacy on 115th birthday

Hundreds gathered on Friday in Ronald Reagan Presidential Library To honor the late president on his 115th birthday – a particularly poignant tribute following the death of his son, Michael Reagan, earlier this year.

Among those attending was Reagan’s granddaughter, Ashley Reagan, who said the annual celebration helps preserve the legacy her father, Michael, spent most of his life preserving.

“Even with his recent passing, it was very important to my entire family to make sure we were here to honor my grandfather, his legacy and everything he represented,” she said.

“What he lived for was making sure my grandfather’s legacy would live on,” she said. “Now, it carries on my grandfather’s legacy and my father’s legacy.”

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of former President Ronald Reagan, dies at the age of 80

President Ronald W. Reagan speaks to the press during the Iran-Contra hearings. (Diana Walker/Getty Images)

The annual celebration in Simi Valley, California, attracted family members, political leaders and longtime admirers of the former president.

Fox News Digital spoke exclusively with Ashley Reagan and the former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy To reflect on Reagan’s legacy and the importance of his leadership in today’s deeply divided political climate.

Ashley spoke openly about her father After his death on January 4 after a battle with cancer. He was 80 years old.

“He was definitely a big personality. He spoke his mind. You always knew where he stood with politics as well,” Ashley said. “He was someone who always told the truth.”

Ashley said her father, a nationally syndicated radio talk show host, shared the ability to connect with people from all walks of life, “no matter who they were.”

Ashley Reagan, granddaughter of former President Ronald Reagan, at a birthday memorial service at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on February 6, 2026. (Nora Moriarty)

“I think it came from many years of watching and observing and kind of watching how my grandfather interacted with people, how he communicated with people, and his communication wasn’t based on who the person was.“,” She explained. “That’s why he was able to accomplish what he was able to accomplish when he was in office.”

Ashley also stressed that the version of Ronald Reagan that Americans see on the national stage as president is no different from the “Grandpa” she knew at home, describing him as “the heart of the earth.”

“The person I saw is the person who was with us,” Ashley told Fox News Digital. “We rode horses with him, went to his house and had lunch with him all the time, and he was fair, he was my grandfather.”

During his adult life, the Reagan family spent a lot of time on their Santa Barbara ranch, Rancho del Cielo. (Getty Images)

A quick ticket took me to the birthplace of Ronald Reagan and a deeper understanding of the American president

When talking about how Reagan perceived today’s political climate, both Ashley and McCarthy said it bore similarities to the turbulent period Reagan faced when he took office in the 1980s, and they posited that history was repeating itself.

“I think it reflects the time he took over in the 1980s,” Ashley said. “I think if you go back in history and look at the situation the country was in before he took office, it reflects that time frame.”

“High inflation, America embarrassed by what happened with our hostages, and the challenge that you have a president in office who believes the best days are behind us…there are a lot of similarities.”“,” McCarthy added.

Ashley said her grandfather would have emphasized unity, especially at a time when political divisions are deepening.

“I think it will encourage us to cross the aisle a little bit more, but unfortunately, I think we’re watching history repeat itself in a lot of ways,” she said.

Marines stand at the President Reagan Memorial Site at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley during a ceremony honoring Reagan on the 115th anniversary of his birth on Friday, February 6, 2026. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

“He was all about unity, and he always said the only way to get things done was by reaching out to the other side and working with the other side. He was able to accomplish a lot because he didn’t just focus on the people who agreed with him, but he worked with everyone,” she added.

McCarthy, the keynote speaker at Reagan’s 115th birthday celebration, told Fox News Digital that the former president played a major influence in defining his political philosophy.

“I grew up in a family of all Democrats,” the spokesman said. “He and Abraham Lincoln are the reason I am a Republican. I rejected what I heard at home.”

55th Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at a birthday celebration for former President Ronald Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on February 6, 2026. (Nora Moriarty)

“I remember in elementary school watching Jimmy Carter tell me that the best days were behind me [Reagan] He takes the stage, says no to pastels, flies in bold colors, and goes to that shiny city on the hill. This is the one I wanted to follow. This is what brought me to Republican PartyMcCarthy added.

The speaker also described Reagan as a “happy conservative” who believed that strong principles brought more freedom — the kind of leader America needs today, he said.

“He actually welcomed more people to the party,” McCarthy said. “We had what we called Reagan Democrats. These people learned through him and said, ‘I want to be with him.’ I want America to be better.’ These are the kind of candidates we should be looking for.”

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Ashley said part of how she continues the Reagan legacy is through her work with the Young America’s Foundation (YAF), which runs the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara, California – A site she described as very personal for the family.

Michael Reagan speaks at a Young America Foundation event. According to a family statement, Reagan died on Sunday, January 4. (Youth of America Foundation)

“With my father passing, it makes us more involved in that kind of thing because we don’t want to miss that relationship with Ronald Reagan,” she said.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, YAF’s president, former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, said: “Young people continue to be inspired by President Reagan’s words about freedom. Drawing attention to his birthday draws attention to his remarkable influence even today.”