conservatives made a comeback in 1964 under the leadership of barry goldwater, who defeated moderates and liberals such as nelson rockefeller and henry cabot lodge, jr. in the republican presidential primaries that year. goldwater was strongly opposed to the new deal and the united nations, but rejected isolationism and containment, calling for an aggressive anti-communist foreign policy. in the presidential election of 1964, he was defeated by lyndon johnson in a landslide that brought down many senior republican congressmen across the country. goldwater won five states in the deep south, the strongest showing by a republican presidential candidate in the south since 1872.