Barry Goldwater Jr.

Last updated

Susan Lee Gherman
(m. 1972;div. 1979)
Barry Goldwater Jr.
Barry Goldwater, Jr. by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Goldwater in 2012
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
April 29, 1969 January 3, 1983
ChildrenBarry M. Goldwater III
Parents
Alma mater University of Colorado Boulder
Arizona State University (BS)

Barry Morris Goldwater Jr. (born July 15, 1938) is an American politician. He is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California, serving from 1969 to 1983. He is the son of U.S. Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater.

Contents

Early life and education

Goldwater was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 15, 1938, the son of Barry Goldwater and his wife Margaret Johnson. He graduated from Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Virginia, in 1957. Goldwater attended the University of Colorado, and graduated from Arizona State University in 1962. He then worked as a stockbroker, public relations executive, and in import-export business, before being elected to Congress.

In 1972, he married Susan Lee Gherman, daughter of Dr. E. Mortimer and Irene Gherman of Newport Beach, California. They had a son, Barry M. Goldwater, III. The couple divorced in May 1979.

Political career

In office

Goldwater during his tenure in Congress Barrygoldwaterjr.jpg
Goldwater during his tenure in Congress

When Edwin Reinecke resigned from Congress in January 1969 to become lieutenant governor of California, this opened up California's 27th district which at the time covered parts of northern Los Angeles County. In the following special election, Goldwater was selected as the Republican nominee, and John Van de Kamp was selected by the Democrats. Goldwater won 57% to 43%, serving for the remainder of the 91st Congress, and was reelected twice. He was redistricted to the 20th district ahead of the 1974 election, and was elected to another four terms in that district.

During his time in Washington, Goldwater served on several committees, such as the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, the Joint Committee on Energy, and the Committee on Science and Technology. He drafted a number of bills while serving in the House, most notably the Privacy Act of 1974, which prevents the distribution of private information from government and businesses.

Goldwater speaking during the launch of USS Reid (FFG-30) in 1981 Barry Goldwater Jr. speaks during christening and launching ceremonies for the guided missile frigate USS REID (FFG 30) at the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp.jpg
Goldwater speaking during the launch of USS Reid (FFG-30) in 1981

With his district merged with that of Bobbi Fiedler due to redistricting, Goldwater retired from the House to run for the Republican nomination to the Senate in 1982. He lost that race to San Diego mayor and future Governor Pete Wilson, who would go on to win the general election. Goldwater attributed his loss to what he called "partisan mudslinging" which linked his name to a congressional drug-use scandal, though Goldwater was ultimately found to be uninvolved. During that time, Goldwater did seek help from a treatment center in Wickenburg, Arizona, for an admitted drinking problem.[ citation needed ]

Advocacy

In the 1980 presidential election, Goldwater campaigned for Ronald Reagan, a family friend, who won the election against Jimmy Carter. Ahead of the 2003 recall election to replace Gray Davis as Governor of California, he supported Arnold Schwarzenegger, and had a public debate with President Reagan's son Ron Reagan.[ citation needed ]

On November 16, 2007, Goldwater endorsed Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas for the GOP nomination in 2008. [1] On January 5, 2008, Goldwater announced his decision to go to New Hampshire to campaign for Ron Paul, [2] after Paul's 10% showing in the Iowa caucuses, held on January 3, 2008. Paul would garner 8% of the vote in New Hampshire. He also spoke in support of Ron Paul at the Kansas GOP caucus.

On September 4, 2008, a list of electors in Louisiana using the label "Louisiana Taxpayers Party" paid $500 and filed papers [3] with the Secretary of State's Office [3] to get on the ballot. They were pledged to Ron Paul for president, and to Goldwater for vice president. [3] The ticket received 9,368 votes in Louisiana, coming in third place in the popular vote. [4]

In 2015, Goldwater was chairman of TUSK – Tell Utilities Solar won't be Killed – "that aims at pushing solar from a different perspective: a Republican one". [5] The group favored net metering. In the same policy area, the Goldwater Institute "sued to have [Arizona]'s renewable energy standards and tariffs throw[n] out in a move that would have slowed solar development to a crawl", per Phoenix Business Journal. [6]

Business career

Goldwater in 2017 Barry Goldwater, Jr. (37807670421).jpg
Goldwater in 2017

After retiring from politics, Goldwater moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career in the financial sector, specializing in security law and underwriting. His clients were major U.S. banks and insurance companies. Goldwater became a member of the New York Stock Exchange, and a partner in what is now Wedbush Securities (formerly Noble Cook, Inc.)

Goldwater lives in Phoenix, Arizona, near his son Barry M. Goldwater III.

He has served on the board of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. As of October 2018, he serves on the board of directors of the Goldwater Institute. The Goldwater Institute is a non-profit political think tank which studies and publishes findings on public policies that align with the conservative values promoted by Goldwater's father. Goldwater generally supported legislation and policies that embrace economic independence, individual rights, and limited government.[ citation needed ]

Goldwater maintains his contact with Republican and Democratic leaders, as well as celebrity activists, and is still active in the conservative political movement. He is a member of the American Numismatic Association, and is currently director of the National Collector's Mint.[ citation needed ]

Awards and honors

Goldwater has won several awards, including the Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, an award from the President's Commission on Employment of the Handicapped, the Distinguished Service Award of the A.C.A., and the Conscience of the Congress Award of the American Conservative Union.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Goldwater</span> American politician and military officer (1909–1998)

Barry Morris Goldwater was an American politician and major general in the Air Force Reserve who served as a United States senator from 1953 to 1965 and 1969 to 1987, and was the Republican Party's nominee for president in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States presidential election</span> 45th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Republican Senator Barry Goldwater in a landslide victory. Johnson was the fourth and most recent vice president to succeed the presidency following the death of his predecessor and win a full term in his own right. Johnson won the largest share of the popular vote for the Democratic Party in history at 61.1%. As of 2024, this remains the highest popular vote percentage of any candidate since the advent of widespread popular elections in 1824.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Time for Choosing</span> 1964 speech by Ronald Reagan

"A Time for Choosing", also known as "The Speech", was a speech presented during the 1964 U.S. presidential election campaign by future president Ronald Reagan on behalf of Republican candidate Barry Goldwater. "A Time for Choosing" launched Reagan into national prominence in politics.

Southern Democrats are members of the U.S. Democratic Party who reside in the Southern United States.

In United States presidential elections, an unpledged elector is a person nominated to stand as an elector but who has not pledged to support any particular presidential or vice presidential candidate, and is free to vote for any candidate when elected a member of the Electoral College. Presidential elections are indirect, with voters in each state choosing electors on Election Day in November, and these electors choosing the president and vice president of the United States in December. Electors in practice have since the 19th century almost always agreed in advance to vote for a particular candidate — that is, they are said to have been pledged to that candidate. In several elections in the 20th century, however, competitive campaigns were mounted by candidates who made no pledge to any presidential nominee before the election. These anomalies largely arose from fissures within the Democratic Party over the issues of civil rights and segregation. No serious general election campaign has been mounted to elect unpledged electors in any state since 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 Republican National Convention</span> Political convention of the Republican Party

The 1964 Republican National Convention took place in the Cow Palace, Daly City, California, from July 13 to July 16, 1964. Before 1964, there had been only one national Republican convention on the West Coast, the 1956 Republican National Convention, which also took place in the Cow Palace. Many believed that a convention at San Francisco indicated the rising power of the Republican Party in the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 Republican National Convention</span> Political convention of the Republican Party

The 1960 Republican National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, from July 25 to July 28, 1960, at the International Amphitheatre. It was the 14th and most recent time overall that Chicago hosted the Republican National Convention, more times than any other city.

Henry D. Irwin was a Republican presidential elector for the 1960 U.S. presidential election who became a "faithless elector" when he declined to vote as pledged.

The 1964 presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater began when United States Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona elected to seek the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States to challenge incumbent Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson. Early on, before officially announcing his candidacy for the presidency, Goldwater was accused by Governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller of attempting to galvanize Southern and Western Republican support while neglecting the industrial northern states, eventually becoming one of Goldwater's primary opponents in the race for the Republican Party's nomination in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 Republican Party presidential primaries</span> Selection of Republican US presidential candidate

From March 10 to June 2, 1964, voters of the Republican Party elected 1,308 delegates to the 1964 Republican National Convention through a series of delegate selection primaries and caucuses, for the purpose of determining the party's nominee for president in the 1964 United States presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral history of Richard Nixon</span> List of political elections featuring Richard Nixon as a candidate

Richard Nixon served as the 37th president of the United States from 1969 to 1974. He previously served as the 36th vice president of the United States from 1953 to 1961, and as a United States senator from 1950 to 1953 and United States representative from 1947 to 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States presidential election in California</span>

The 1964 United States presidential election in California took place on November 3, 1964, as part of the 1964 United States presidential election. State voters chose 40 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Draft Ron Paul movement</span> Efforts to convince Ron Paul to run for a particular office

The Draft Ron Paul movement refers to any of several grassroots efforts to convince United States Congressman Ron Paul of Texas to run for particular office, often president of the United States, as in the 2008 and 2012 elections.

Frederick Clifton White Sr. was an American political consultant and campaign manager for candidates of the Republican Party, the New York Conservative Party, and some foreign clients. He was a moving force behind the Draft Goldwater Committee from 1961 to 1964, which secured a majority of delegates to nominate U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona as the Republican Party presidential candidate in the 1964 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States elections</span>

The 1964 United States elections were held in the United States on November 3, 1964, to elect the President of the United States and members of the 89th United States Congress. The elections were held during the Civil Rights Movement and the escalation of the Vietnam War. President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona in the presidential election, and Johnson's Democratic Party added to their majorities in both chambers of Congress. This was the first presidential election after the ratification of the 23rd Amendment, which granted electoral votes to Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 United States presidential election in Arizona</span>

The 1980 United States presidential election in Arizona took place on November 4, 1980. All fifty states and The District of Columbia were part of the 1980 United States presidential election. State voters chose six electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States presidential election in Wyoming</span>

The 1964 United States presidential election in Wyoming took place on November 3, 1964, as part of the 1964 United States presidential election. State voters chose three representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018–19 Phoenix mayoral special election</span>

The 2018–19 Phoenix mayoral special election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the new Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. The election was officially nonpartisan; candidates ran on the same ballot. In the initial round of the election, since no candidate reached 50 percent plus one vote, a runoff election was held on March 12, 2019, between the top two finishers.

References

  1. Ron Paul Endorsed by Barry Goldwater, Jr. – Ron Paul 2008
  2. Barry Goldwater, Jr., to Campaign for Ron Paul in NH – Ron Paul 2008
  3. 1 2 3 Winger, Richard. Louisiana Asked to Print Ron Paul on Ballot as Presidential Candidate. Ballot Access News, 4 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-08. "On September 4, a slate of presidential electors was filed at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office, in person. The electors are pledged to Ron Paul for president, and former Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr., for vice-president. The partisan label for this slate is "Louisiana Taxpayers Party." The filing, and the ,00 was accepted* * *"
  4. "United States Presidential Election Results, 2008, Louisiana,", Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  5. TUSK webpage, dontkillsolar.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  6. O'Grady, Patrick, "Arizona solar battle heating up between installers, APS", Phoenix Business Journal, March 29, 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the  U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 27th congressional district

1969–1975
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the  U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 20th congressional district

1975–1983
Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas former U.S. Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as former U.S. Representative
Succeeded byas former U.S. Representative