Barry had spent a great deal of time in California even while representing New York in Congress. After losing his 1964 campaign, he made California his permanent residence. In 1966, he was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for California's 38th Congressional District. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1967 special election for California's 11th district, and again in the 1968 general election. In 1970, Barry ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate from California. In 1972, he was defeated for the Republican nomination in California's 17th district. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Barry to the advisory council of the Peace Corps.