presidential election On May 9–10, 1860, the Illinois Republican State Convention was held in Decatur. Lincoln's followers organized a campaign team led by David Davis, Norman Judd, Leonard Swett, and Jesse DuBois, and Lincoln received his first endorsement. Exploiting his embellished frontier legend (clearing land and splitting fence rails), Lincoln's supporters adopted the label of "The Rail Candidate". In 1860, Lincoln described himself: "I am in height, six feet, four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing, on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse black hair, and gray eyes." Michael Martinez wrote about the effective imaging of Lincoln by his campaign. At times he was presented as the plain-talking "Rail Splitter" and at other times he was "Honest Abe", unpolished but trustworthy. On May 18, at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Lincoln won the nomination on the third ballot, beating candidates such as Seward and Chase. A former Democrat, Hannibal Hamlin of Maine, was nominated for vice president to balance the ticket. Lincoln's success depended on his campaign team, his reputation as a moderate on the slavery issue, and his strong support for internal improvements and the tariff. Pennsylvania put him over the top, led by the state's iron interests who were reassured by his tariff support. Lincoln's managers had focused on this delegation while honoring Lincoln's dictate to "Make no contracts that will bind me". As the Slave Power tightened its grip on the national government, most Republicans agreed with Lincoln that the North was the aggrieved party. Throughout the 1850s, Lincoln had doubted the prospects of civil war, and his supporters rejected claims that his election would incite secession. When Douglas was selected as the candidate of the Northern Democrats, delegates from eleven slave states walked out of the Democratic convention; they opposed Douglas's position on popular sovereignty, and selected incumbent Vice President John C. Breckinridge as their candidate. A group of former Whigs and Know Nothings formed the Constitutional Union Party and nominated John Bell of Tennessee. Lincoln and Douglas competed for votes in the North, while Bell and Breckinridge primarily found support in the South. Prior to the Republican convention, the Lincoln campaign began cultivating a nationwide youth organization, the Wide Awakes, which it used to generate popular support throughout the country to spearhead voter registration drives, thinking that new voters and young voters tended to embrace new parties. People of
{
        'QUESTION: Who did Abraham Lincoln compete against in the presidential election of 1860?': 'ANSWER: He competed against Stephen A. Douglas, John C. Breckenridge, and John Bell.',
        'QUESTION: What was the nickname given to Abraham Lincoln during his campaign?': 'ANSWER: During his campaign, he was often referred to as "The Rail Candidate" due to his background clearing land and splitting fence rails.' ,
        'QUESTION: How tall was Abraham Lincoln according to himself?': 'ANSWER: According to himself, he was around 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed approximately 180 pounds.',
        'QUESTION: Which political party did Abraham Lincoln belong to when he ran for presidency in 1860?': 'ANSWER: He belonged to the Republican Party.',
        'QUESTION: Who was Abraham Lincoln's running mate in the 1860 election?': 'ANSWER: His running mate was Hannibal Hamlin from Maine.',
        'QUESTION: Why was Pennsylvania crucial for Lincoln\'s victory in the 1860 election?': 'ANSWER: Pennsylvania played a key role because it pushed him over the top, thanks to its iron industry which supported his stance on the tariff.',
        'QUESTION: What happened after Douglas was chosen as the candidate of the Northern Democrats in the 1860 election?': 'ANSWER: After Douglas became the candidate, delegates from eleven southern states left the Democratic convention, opposing Douglas\'s standpoint on popular sovereignty. They then chose Vice President John C. Breckinridge as their candidate.',
        'QUESTION: What strategy did the Lincoln campaign use to gain more support before the Republican convention?': 'ANSWER: Before the Republican convention, the Lincoln campaign started creating a nationwide youth organization called the Wide Awakes. This group helped register new voters and promoted Lincoln\'s image across the country.',
        'QUESTION: What was the main reason behind the formation of the Constitutional Union Party in the 1860 election?': 'ANSWER: The Constitutional Union Party was created because people wanted a neutral alternative amidst the polarizing issues surrounding slavery and sectionalism.',
        'QUESTION: Can you tell me about the Wide Awakes, the youth organization that supported Lincoln?': 'ANSWER: The Wide Awakes was a nationwide youth organization established by the Lincoln campaign prior to the Republican convention. Their purpose was to promote Lincoln\'s image, encourage voter registration, and mobilize new voters. They played a significant role in generating public support for Lincoln during the 1860 election.'
    }