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In 1958 he won his party's nomination to be governor of New York and proceeded to win the general election against Democratic incumbent William Averill Harriman (1891-1986) in an otherwise heavily Democratic year. He unsuccessfully sought his party's presidential nomination in 1960 but withdrew from the race when it became clear that Richard Nixon already had more than enough committed delegates to win the nomination. He campaigned for Nixon in the [[general election]] campaign, but Nixon lost to the Democrat [[John F. Kennedy]], who also won the electoral votes of New York.

In 1958 he won his party's nomination to be governor of New York and proceeded to win the general election against Democratic incumbent William Averill Harriman (1891-1986) in an otherwise heavily Democratic year. He unsuccessfully sought his party's presidential nomination in 1960 but withdrew from the race when it became clear that Richard Nixon already had more than enough committed delegates to win the nomination. He campaigned for Nixon in the [[general election]] campaign, but Nixon lost to the Democrat [[John F. Kennedy]], who also won the electoral votes of New York.

In 1964, Rockefeller again sought the Republican presidential nomination but victory went to conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of [[Arizona]]. Rockefeller backed Goldwater in the general election, but with more caution than he had supported Nixon. Rockefeller refused to publicly campaign with Goldwater. In 1968 Rockefeller again sought his party's presidential nomination but trailed far behind Nixon, who went on to defeat Democrat [[Hubert Humphrey]].

In 1964, Rockefeller again sought the Republican presidential nomination but victory went to Senator Goldwater of [[Arizona]]. Rockefeller backed Goldwater in the general election, but with more caution than he had supported Nixon. Jacob Javits, however, refused to endorse Goldwater, with whom he disagreed on many issues. Despite the endorsement, Rockefeller refused to publicly campaign with Goldwater. The 1964 returns were devastating to New York Republicans. Democrat [[Robert F. Kennedy]], brother of the slain John F. Kennedy, unseated the liberal Republican Senator Kenneth Barnard Keating (1900-1975).

 

R,In 1968 Rockefeller again sought his party's presidential nomination but trailed far behind Nixon, who went on to defeat Democrat [[Hubert Humphrey]].

He then supported Nixon wholeheartedly in the general election. After Nixon resigned because of the [[Watergate]] affair and Vice President Ford became president, the new president appointed Rockefeller vice president, before there was a competition between Rockefeller and [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] to persuade Ford to select them.<ref>Parmet, Herbert George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee pages 168-171</ref> Rockefeller was replaced by  Senator [[Robert Dole]] of [[Kansas]] as the party's vice presidential nominee in 1976 because of opposition by conservatives to Rockefeller. He campaigned for Ford and Dole, but after the campaign he retired. He died of a heart attack in 1979.

He then supported Nixon wholeheartedly in the general election. After Nixon resigned because of the [[Watergate]] affair and Vice President Ford became president, the new president appointed Rockefeller vice president, before there was a competition between Rockefeller and [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] to persuade Ford to select them.<ref>Parmet, Herbert George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee pages 168-171</ref> Rockefeller was replaced by  Senator [[Robert Dole]] of [[Kansas]] as the party's vice presidential nominee in 1976 because of opposition by conservatives to Rockefeller. He campaigned for Ford and Dole, but after the campaign he retired. He died of a heart attack in 1979.