Amid growing popularity in the southern states in the early 1960s , Goldwater had been anticipating and looking forward to an " issue-oriented " campaign against Democrat John F. Kennedy , a personal friend of his . Goldwater , who was an aviator by hobby , wished to fly about the country in an attempt to revive whistle stop train tour-style debates . Kennedy 's assassination in November 1963 dashed Goldwater 's hopes of an election contest between himself and his friend and political rival . Nevertheless , Goldwater officially announced his candidacy for the presidency in January 1964 from the patio of his Arizona home . Following a battle with moderate and liberal Republicans in the Republican primary , such as Nelson Rockefeller and with moderate conservatives such as William Scranton among others , Goldwater won the party 's nomination for president
assassination
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Barry Goldwater 1964 presidential campaign