That is such a super quotation. Goldwater lost traction later in his Senate career. Congressman Larry McDonald, when asked about Goldwater said that “Goldwater should just go ahead and die before he violates every principle any of us ever thought he believed in.”
Sadly, he did stay too long. He should’ve retired in 1974 with his principles intact. Instead, he became embittered and jealous of Ronald Reagan, lied to pro-lifers on his stance running for his final term in 1980 (when he almost became the sole GOP Senate incumbent to lose to a Democrat pro-lifer), and as the final touch, gifted his seat to Juan McQueeg, who did incalculable damage to the nation (including serving as a ringer for Zero in 2008).