The Goldwater Revolution...?

[AuH2O Republican]

My first ever go at one of these things, so any comments/criticisms would be appreciated. I will try to keep this flowing as quick as I can but balancing a full-time job and lots of travel, it can be tricky!

Prelude

November 8, 1960. Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a Democrat, defeats Republican nominee Vice President Richard Nixon of California in the presidential election. Although the popular vote reflects a close election where two candidates have similar substance but starkly different style, the Electoral College delivers a decisive win for Kennedy.

November 6, 1962. Amidst President Kennedy’s first mid-term election test as President, his old foe Richard Nixon defeats incumbent Pat Brown in California’s gubernatorial race. The press expect a rematch in 1964.

November 22, 1963. Dallas, Texas. President John F. Kennedy is assassinated. The nation mourns.

The same day, Vice President Lyndon Johnson is inaugurated as President aboard Air Force One.

January 2, 1964. With the holidays over and election time looming, politicians on both sides of the aisle await President Johnson’s announce to run for election in his own right.

January 3, 1964. Alabama’s segregationist Governor, George Wallace, announces his campaign for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Party leaders now prepare for Johnson’s formal announcement so to stem Wallace’s momentum and coverage in the press.

January 4, 1964. President Johnson suffers a heart attack over breakfast. With the Vice Presidency still vacant, Speaker John McCormack is brought to the White House on standby. The nation holds its breath.

January 5, 1964. President Johnson will pull through. That afternoon, however, the obvious is confirmed. Johnson cannot be President and run for election the same time. On his behalf, Speaker McCormack addresses the nation and tells them that Johnson will not be running for President.

The door opens.

[AuH2O Republican]

Republican Primaries - Straight On Or Take A Right?

In 1960, Richard Nixon’s coronation starved the Republican Party of an opportunity to showcase its next generation of leaders. However, 1964 was an open contest and the party saw that it had many viable options from the various wings of the party.

The 1960 Democratic primaries had party elder Adlai Stevenson hanging over its heads, and the questions of will he, won’t he? In 1964, it was the Republican Party’s turn, with Richard Nixon neither confirming nor denying that he was running for President again. His victory over Pat Brown in California’s gubernatorial race in 1962 had automatically propelled him to frontrunner. But until an official announcement was made, a Nixon candidacy was in limbo.

The first candidate to declare his candidacy was Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York, which was met with little surprise but much enthusiasm from liberal Republicans (and much derision from conservative ones). With a big fortune to sustain a prolonged candidacy, and with a lot of support in populous areas on the East and West coasts, Rockefeller would be a force to be reckoned with.

As soon as Rockefeller declared, conservative Republicans sought to coalesce behind a candidate. The obvious choice was their flagbearer for the recent years, Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. He was hesitant to run, but the fear of a liberal Republican taking the reins of the party compelled Goldwater to run. Suddenly the GOP was getting the heavyweight ideological contest it needed 4 years prior.

That head-to-head contest was spoilt by the entry of Governor George Romney of Michigan. A moderate, his appeal to the Industrial Midwest was obvious. And his support for civil rights legislation made him an attractive general election candidate.

Although expecting a Rockefeller entry, which Nixon felt more prepared to deal with this time, Romney’s candidacy took him by surprise. “Sh!t” was the first word uttered to his aides when told of Romney’s entry. And with Goldwater able to siphon some of Nixon’s more conservative supporters, he felt boxed in. For now, he would bide his time. That, and pick up his Rolodex and make some calls.

Meanwhile, attacks between Rockefeller and Romney increased as each tried to outdo the other in the battle for liberal and moderate Republican votes. With solid conservative support, some thought Goldwater may win the nomination with no unified opposition against him. Goldwater committed his campaign to this method, working to keep his supporters united behind him, whilst his opponents tore lumps out of each other.

This strategy was rocked by the entry of firebrand conservative congressman Bruce Alger of Texas into the race. His antic towards Lyndon and Ladybird Johnson in the 1960 election drew praise and scorn across the spectrum. “This is Dick’s doing,” Goldwater would mutter to his aides. Alger was initially tapped by the Goldwater campaign to help win over Texas delegates, in light of John Tower’s refusal to take sides. But now, Goldwater not only faced difficulty in delegate-rich Texas, but had a conservative opponent. Alger would certainly not be anywhere near a serious threat to the nomination, but some of Goldwater’s more hardline conservative supporters would look towards Alger.

The press widely predicted that Nixon was setting himself up to be the compromise candidate, in light of the liberal/moderate wing splitting between Rockefeller and Romney, and the conservative wing splitting between Goldwater and Alger. Nixon refuses to answer questions about whether he is seeking the nomination or not, telling a journalist that “I will follow the will of the Republican Party.”

Come the time of the nation’s first primary in New Hampshire, only 4 serious candidates have put their names forward.

Declared Candidates


Representative Bruce Alger of Texas


Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona


Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York


Governor George Romney of Michigan

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Haven't seen a Goldeater timeline in a while! Hopefully this does Barry some justice.