Why was Goldwater re-elected to the Senate by such a small margin in 1980?

[OSR stands with Israel]

His opponent was also a conservative

[OSR stands with Israel]

In both 1964 and 1980, Goldwater was saved from defeat in Arizona by Maricopa County.

Ironic considering that Maricopa county has been costing Republicans victories during recent elections.

By today's standard, to be honest, Goldwater was less of a conservative firebrand and more of a libertarian. He supported abortion and LGBT+ rights, two positions that most of today's GOP would oppose.

This is a misunderstanding, as while he was pro choice he also believed it should be up to the states to make abortion law which is pretty in line  with almost any Republican nominee today .  Also on LGBT rights , Trump was definitely the most liberal Republican nominee ever on that issue and again I don’t think Goldwater would really be that liberal on it today .

He’d probably have taken the stance of i think it should be legal but it shouldn’t be decided federally .

[OSR stands with Israel]

In both 1964 and 1980, Goldwater was saved from defeat in Arizona by Maricopa County.

Ironic considering that Maricopa county has been costing Republicans victories during recent elections.

The sunbelt was a series of Republican islands surrounded by Democratic territory, at least down ballot if less so up ballot. Phoenix, just like Dallas, Charlotte, Tampa and Orlando, led the drive of their states towards the Republicans.

White Flight, the Growth of Minority voting, the Republican gains among rural working class voters and the lose of college educated whites, is what reversed this geographic paradigm and made these states just like the rest of the country.

Didn’t you say this is what happened in the North in the 1920s through the 1940s