Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'ihi ọgbaghara ndọrọndọrọ ọchịchị na-aga n'ihu na Kansas, mmegide megide Iwu Kansas-Nebraska nọgidere na-adị ike na Illinois na n'Ebe Ugwu. Ka ntuliaka nke 1856 na-eru nso, Lincoln hapụrụ òtù Whig ahụ na-adịghịzi adị ma sonyere ndị Republican. Ọ gara Mgbakọ Bloomington nke Mee 1856, nke guzobere Illinois Republican Party. Nzukọ mgbakọ ahụ kwusiri ike na Congress nwere ikike ịchịkwa ịgba ohu n'ókèala ndị ahụ ma kpọọ oku ka a nabata Kansas ozugbo dị ka steeti nweere onwe ya. Lincoln kwuru okwu ikpeazụ ná mgbakọ ahụ, bụ́ nke o ji kwado usoro ihe omume nke òtù ahụ ma kpọọ òkù ka e chebe Union. N'ọnwa June
Na 1856 Republican National Convention, Lincoln nwetara nkwado dị ukwuu na ntuli aka nke osote onye isi ala, ọ bụ ezie na ndị otu ahụ họpụtara tiketi John C. Frémont na William Dayton. Lincoln kwadoro tiketi ndị Republican nke ọma, na-eme mkpọsa maka pati ahụ na Illinois niile. Ndị Democrats họpụtara onye bụbu onye nnọchi anya James Buchanan, onye na-anọghị na mba ahụ kemgbe 1853 ma si otú a zere arụmụka banyere ịgba ohu na mpaghara, ebe Know Nothings họpụtara onye bụbu onye isi ala Whig bụ Millard Fillmore. Na ntuliaka nke 1856, Buchanan meriri ndị na-ama ya aka abụọ, mana Frémont meriri ọtụtụ steeti ndị dị na Northern na Republican William Henry Bissell meriri ntuli aka dịka Gọvanọ nke Illinois. Ọ bụ ezie na Lincoln n'onwe ya emerighị n'ọfịs ahụ, mkpọsa siri ike o mere mere ka ọ bụrụ onye isi ndị Republican n'Illinois.