He did not support federal interference in state issues and believed individual reliance on the federal government would cause to American society, and thus tried to strengthen the private sector.
Even though it was widely known that after the assassination of President Kennedy Americans as a whole would want a new leader who would carry out his plans, Johnson decided to run even if he had slim chances of winning. This was proven to be true. In the 1964 presidential election, Goldwater lost to Lyndon B Johnson by the largest margin in history until that point. His loss was not an isolated one for the Republican party, happening alongside the shift in the House to the largest Democratic majority in three decades. The Democratic embracement of the Civil Rights movement had lead to the new conservative strategy that, along with new power from figures such as Goldwater, would rise in popularity and turn the tables back in the following decades.
I find it interesting how you mention the large gap between Goldwater and Lyndon B Johnson in the presidential campaign. Goldwater is often associated with the phrase "to preserve and extend freedom" when considering the government's role. However, following the assassination of President Kennedy, it sort of makes sense that the American people were not too concerned about this.
ReplyDeleteI think this is so interesting! The fact that it was the largest win in history really is amazing to me.
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