Well, Reagan WAS a Democrat when Newt was in diapers.
The democrat party of that era was not as radical as the Obamanites and Clintonites of today.
Reagan paid tribute to FDR in 1982. “Reagan’s admiration for FDR hardly dimmed even as he became America’s preeminent conservative voice. At a White House tribute in honor of FDR in 1982, Reagan hailed the 32nd President as “one of history’s truly monumental figures,” “an American giant, a leader who shaped, inspired, and led our people through perilous times.”