Certainly not to mold his policy, they may have planned out his schedule but that’s about it.
Reagan campaigned the way he served as President. He was in charge, determined and didn’t lose focus. Too many candidates give up control of the campaign to the consultants and it leads to disaster. But since they would probably govern the same way, its no loss.
Ed Rollins became quite well known.
I think Reagan’s success was used by opportunists to make it seem as if consultants were more important than they were.
Now they are a bane, a parasite class.
They brought Walker down.