Ronald Reagan , who launched a national campaign to oppose the giveaway . Craig Harris , Newt Gingrich : They were devastated by the scandal . They say the party lost most of its momentum , had to rebuild from the ground up . They rallied around effort to prevent the handover of the Panama Canal . Authors : They lost the canal battle but built a party that competed -- and won .
Craig Harris , Newt Gingrich : They were devastated by the scandal . They say the party lost most of its momentum , had to rebuild from the ground up . They rallied around effort to prevent the handover of the Panama Canal . Authors : They lost the canal battle but built a party that competed -- and won .