 After Campbell died, Corfield took on T. J. O'Rouke as his partner.At the 1888 elections, he was returned unopposed for the Legislative Assembly seat of Gregory in western Queensland in support of Thomas McIlwraith, a conservative, and held it at the 1893 and 1896 elections against a growing Labour vote.At a time when party politics were still fairly fluid in Queensland, he strongly advocated for the interests of his own electorate even when it conflicted with the conservative parliamentary bloc's policies.