Barry Goldwater was an American politician and businessman who served as a U.S. Senator from Arizona from 1953 to 1965. He was a prominent figure in the Republican Party and is often credited with sparking the modern conservative movement in the United States. Goldwater ran for president in 1964 but lost to Lyndon B. Johnson in a landslide. Goldwater was known for his strong advocacy of limited government, individual liberties, and free-market principles. His book, "The Conscience of a Conservative," published in 1960, became influential among conservatives. Despite his electoral defeat, Goldwater's ideas shaped the future of the Republican Party.