 He ran for Congress in 1900, but was defeated in a close race by Thomas H. Tongue.Though Lake County was a Republican stronghold, Daly was easily elected County Judge in 1902, a position he continued to hold until his death in 1920.During his tenure as Lake County's chief executive, the county built a new court house in 1909 using tax revenue from land left by the defunct Oregon Central Military Wagon Road Company.