Goldwater went back to the Senate after losing the election. His run for president helped start the conservative movement of today, which agrees with many of Goldwater's ideas. He didn't agree with the social conservatives who were against abortion and gay rights. Goldwater stayed in the Senate until 1987. He helped Sandra Day O'Connor get on the Supreme Court. He passed a military reform law. Goldwater retired to Arizona after being in the Senate. He died in Arizona in 1998.