The PRC originated in the Association in Defense of the Interests of Cantabria (ADIC), founded on 14 May 1976, with the objective of promoting Cantabrian autonomy.

30 April 1988, was another important date in the trajectory of the PRC, due to its participation as an observer in a work group of regionalist parties in Valencia.

They improved upon these results in the following elections on 28 May 1995, with 88 councillors and 6 seats, that allowed the access of the party, for the first time in their history, to the Government of Cantabria, occupying the Vice-presidency and Councils of Public Works, Culture and Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

The electoral results were seen by the PRC as support for their policy to build a Cantabrian Motorway in order to end Cantabria's isolation from central Spain.

The Coalition Pact with the Spanish Socialist Workers Party gave the presidency to the regionalist Miguel Ángel Revilla again.