The circumstances surrounding the flip-flop and its larger context can be crucial factors in whether or not a politician is hurt or helped more by a change in position. "Long hailed as a conservative champion, Ronald Reagan could shrug off his support of a tax increase in 1982 to curb the budget deficits his 1981 tax cut had exacerbated", according to an analysis of flip-flopping in "The New York Times". "Long suspect on the Republican right, faced a crippling 1992 primary challenge after abandoning his 'no new taxes' campaign pledge in the White House."