When Arizona’s conservative movement is put into historical context, Sen. Barry Goldwater is mentioned prominently, which makes sense, since he was known as Mr. Conservative. And his 1964 presidential run, though it ended poorly for him, is credited with starting the movement that led to Ronald Reagan’s 1980 election victory.

In her book, "Sunbelt Capitalism: Phoenix and the Transformation of American Politics," Loyola University of Chicago History Professor Elizabeth Tandy Shermer explores where Phoenix’s growth crossed paths with an expanding business presence and the conservative political push.

Attorney and scholar Grady Gammage gave the perspectives of a native Arizonan on some of the theories in Sunbelt Capitalism.