As a consequence, the Court ruled that the limits on campaign spending violated the First Amendment, but it accepted the $1,000 limit on individual contributions on the ground that the need to avoid the appearance of corruption justified this limited constraint on speech.

Moynihan went on to defeat Buckley 54% to 45%. Political career
In 1968 Buckley challenged liberal Republican Senator Jacob K. and the uncle of Christopher Taylor Buckley.

" He successfully challenged the constitutionality of a law limiting campaign spending in Congressional races. Buckley also introduced landmark legislation enacted by Congress to protect student records — the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) — as well as the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) which requires parent consent prior to administration of student surveys on any of eight sensitive topics. In between Buckley held a number of other positions including as president of Radio Free Europe in the mid-1980s.