Final answer:
Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign was significant due to its lasting influence on American politics, its entrenchment of conservative ideology within the Republican Party, and its role in the development of the 'southern strategy'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 1964 presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater, despite its landslide defeat, was significant due to several factors that had lasting impacts on American politics. Notably, Goldwater was a leading conservative figure advocating for limited government and opposition to the New Deal social programs. His campaign also brought to light the ideological divides within the United States, pitting his conservative views against the liberal agenda of the Johnson administration.
Goldwater's opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, while complicated by his personal views on integration, positioned him as the choice for voters resistant to federal civil rights initiatives. This stance solidified his support in the Deep South and would later influence the Republican Party's 'southern strategy.' Furthermore, his campaign energized the conservative movement, which would grow in influence throughout the subsequent decades, culminating in the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Goldwater's bid for presidency significantly reshaped the political landscape, creating a ripple effect that would empower state's rights and the conservative agenda in American politics. Although Goldwater lost in a major defeat, earning only 52 electoral votes to Johnson's 486, his campaign marked the beginnings of a conservative shift in parts of the country that reshaped the Republican Party's platform for years to come.