Robert Michel, 93, who became the longest-serving Republican leader in the history of the U.S. House while earning a reputation as a genial conciliator who worked with Democrats to get major legislation passed, died Friday in Arlington, Va.
Michel, who was from Peoria, Ill., had represented his hometown district for 38 years. He lived in Washington at his death.
He led his party as House minority leader for 14 years, from 1981 until he retired in 1995, having decided, at 71, not to seek another term in 1994. It was one election too soon.
The '94 midterm elections produced what was called the Republican Revolution, with the party winning control of both the House and the Senate for the first time in 40 years, capturing a majority of the nation's governorships and dealing President Bill Clinton a crushing setback.
Michel, having announced his retirement, was wistful after Election Day. "I feel like the small boy who ate his spinach and his broccoli but leaves the table before his mom brings the strawberry shortcake," he said.
In a 2008 interview, Michel said the "most exhilarating time" in his long years in the House had been when he got President Ronald Reagan's economic program through the lower chamber. Though Republicans had picked up seats on Reagan's coattails in the 1980 election, they were still 26 short of a majority, and Michel had to sway enough conservative Democrats to pass tax and spending bills.
For many years, he was known for getting along with Democratic leaders, golfing frequently with Speaker Thomas O'Neill of Massachusetts. But younger Republican House members — especially Newt Gingrich of Georgia, the assistant leader, or whip — later began challenging the Democrats constantly and complaining that Michel was too pliable.
The new breed of Republicans were not much more conservative than Michel, whose votes were judged 85 percent correct by the American Conservative Union. But they believed that the only way to win control of the House was through confrontation.
