History nerds - is Bernie the left’s Barry Goldwater or its Robert Taft?

TAFT - Senator, ardently anti-New Deal - Ran for president several times but never won the GOP nomination - Almost won the 1952 nomination but all of the anti-Taft candidates coalesced behind Eisenhower

GOLDWATER - Senator, ardently anti-New Deal - Silver hair, glasses - Rabid youth following but seen as unpalatable to the public - GOP nominee in 1964, got crushed by LBJ - Inspired a tidal wave of conservative governors in 1966 including Ronald Reagan