I have received a number of thoughtful emails and tweets from those concerned that trying to remain inclusive in the Republican Party will come at the expense of our conservative principles.

I agree that expanding our majority should never come at the expense of our principles. However, standing firm on our principles does not mean we should not allow those who only partially agree with those principles to feel welcome in our party.

On this, I think Ronald Reagan provides an important illustration.

Most will agree that President Reagan remained true to his conservative principles.

However, Reagan also always reached out to Democrats and independents. And he always tried to keep moderate Republicans in the Party.

If you go back to his two gubernatorial races in 1966 and 1970 you will see a conscious effort to attract Democrats and independents.

If you look at his 1976 speech to the Republican National Convention he begins by saying "my fellow Republicans in this hall...and those Democrats and independents around the country who are looking for a better future."

In 1979 only 21% of Americans called themselves Republicans. Reagan knew he had to grow his appeal far beyond the base

I first met with Reagan in October 1974.

I campaigned with him in the late 1970s.

As chair of the Planning Committing of the House Republican campaign committee (NRCC) I worked with RNC chair Bill Brock to study the Thatcher 1979 victory and apply the lessons to the 1980 campaign.

I helped design the first Capitol steps event in history in the fall of 1980 (the Contract with America was actually the second, in 1994).

From 1981 to 1988 I worked with resident Reagan as a member of Congress.

This year, my wife Calllista and I released a movie called Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny which is a documentary about his career and achievements.

Stick to first principles—yes.

Be inclusive and encourage others to side with you even if they only agree with part of your platform – yes.

That would have been the Reagan formula.