According2Sam #66

When Ronald Reagan won the 1980 election it was called the Reagan Revolution, but it wasn't a revolution only because he defeated Jimmy Carter. The platform that Reagan ran on was also revolutionary for the Republican Party. Before Reagan won the Republican nomination for president that year the party had been dominated by a northeastern elite known as Rockefeller Republicans. This business and banking elite controlled the Republican Party since the Eisenhower administration and they were a powerful force in American politics. It was believed they were defeated for good in 1964 when Arizona Senator, Barry Goldwater won the Republican nomination on new conservative platform. However, in 1968 Richard Nixon, a Rockefeller Republican won the nomination and the presidency. When Nixon resigned in 1974 and was replaced by Gerald Ford, a Rockefeller Republican, Ford made Nelson Rockefeller his Vice President. In 1976 California Governor Ronald Reagan, challenged Ford for the nomination running on a similar conservative platform as Barry Goldwater. Reagan was narrowly defeated at the convention, but ran again in 1980 and easily won the nomination and the presidency. Many people believed that Reagan's win dealt the deathblow to Rockefeller Republicans, but is that true? What happened to the Rockefeller Republicans after the Reagan Revolution? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #66. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com