In the 1964 presidential election , Agnew was opposed to the Republican frontrunner , the conservative Barry Goldwater , initially supporting the moderate California senator Thomas Kuchel , a candidacy that , Witcover remarks , " died stillborn " . After the failure of moderate Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton 's candidacy at the party convention , Agnew gave his reluctant support to Goldwater , but privately opined that the choice of so extremist a candidate had cost the Republicans any chance of victory
party convention
1964 Republican National Convention
Spiro Agnew