Would Reagan be accepted in the current GOP? Local residents from his hometown express varying opinions.

The locals in Dixon, Ill., were divided on whether Ronald Reagan would still be accepted in the current Republican Party during the screening of the film "Reagan."

Would Dennis Quaid, who portrays Reagan in a new biopic, be accepted as the leader of the Republican Party in 2024, according to most political analysts?

"There's no doubt that Reagan would be the head of the Republican Party today, as Quaid stated on the front porch of President Reagan's boyhood home. This country yearns for those principles, which are still present in the Republican Party of today."

The locals in Dixon had mixed reactions about Reagan's presence in today's GOP as they waited in line for the premiere of "Reagan" at The Dixon: Historic Theatre on August 22, hosted by Young America's Foundation, with some saying his policies and temperament would be at odds with the modern movement.

"According to Kevin Strock from Sterling, Ill., the party's policies have shifted too far to the right, making it difficult for moderate voters like Reagan to feel welcome."

While some analysts argue that former Presidents Trump and Reagan shared populist beliefs, others highlight their significant differences.

Some argue that Reagan's immigration policies were more liberal than the current GOP's, and that he would not be welcomed in today's Republican Party. Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which granted amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. However, in recent years, more Republicans have spoken out against providing pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants and have emphasized border control and preventing illegal immigration.

John Lehman of The Wall Street Journal emphasized temperaments when he penned the article "Reagan Would Never Vote for Trump."

"Reagan's 11th Commandment was 'Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican,' but Trump goes against this legacy by being an insult to it. Lehman believes that Reagan, who he knew, would be appalled by Trump's unfit character becoming the GOP's standard-bearer. Reagan would also oppose Biden's agenda and never trusted or cared much for him, then-Sen. Biden."

The "Reagan" premiere received positive feedback from several attendees who admired his character traits, including integrity, morals, and the ability to respectfully disagree with others. However, they noted that no current presidential candidate embodies these qualities and that modern politicians tend to focus more on attacking their opponents.

Unfortunately, one local man said that he probably would not fit in today's Republican Party when asked about Reagan.

Since World War II, only two Republicans have won consecutive terms while winning a majority of the popular vote both times: Quaid and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

"I personally do," said Sara Ortgiesen from Dixon, who marched in Reagan's inaugural parade. "I think he'd know how to do it. He was an actor too," she laughed.

"Ronald Reagan is viewed as the model of what a true Republican is by most true Republicans, including Becky Anderson from Rock Falls, Ill., who stated this ahead of viewing 'Reagan' on Planet Chronicle Digital."

The leaders' policies are compared and contrasted in the compare/contrast. Trump recently criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' plan to ban price gouging as "socialist," referring to her as "Comrade Kamala." Quaid speculated on what he believed Reagan would say about Harris' economic agenda.

Reagan wouldn't have supported price controls because he believed in the free market, according to Quaid.

"Reagan won the Cold War, according to Quaid. Additionally, Quaid stated that Reagan testified that communists were attempting to seize control of the unions in Hollywood, including the set builders, cameras, and writers unions. Quaid emphasized that the actors union was the most challenging to overcome."

"Reagan believed that allowing the Communist Party to come into the country and express their ideas would ultimately sort itself out because people would see the common sense in things."

In 1980 and 2016, Reagan and Trump respectively stunned their political worlds with their presidential victories, which are widely considered to have realigned the political landscape.

Both Reagan and Trump survived assassination attempts, a fact that cannot be disputed. Quaid and voters expressed their somber views on the political violence that almost claimed their lives.

"Quaid stated, "When Reagan was shot, I felt the same way I did when Kennedy was assassinated. Thankfully, Reagan survived. The first thing that came to mind when Reagan was shot was the Kennedy assassination, which left our nation's spirit in shambles for many years. It was Ronald Reagan who managed to revive that spirit.""

"Reagan" is out in theaters now.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.