 Garfield during this time purchased the property in Mentor that reporters later dubbed Lawnfield , and from which he would conduct the first successful front porch campaign for the presidency . Hayes suggested that Garfield run for governor in 1879 , seeing that as a road that would likely put Garfield in the White House . Garfield preferred to seek election as senator , and devoted his efforts to seeing that Republicans won the 1879 election for the General Assembly , with the likely Democratic candidate the incumbent , Allen G. Thurman . The Republicans swept the legislative elections . Rivals were spoken of for the seat , such as Secretary Sherman , but he had presidential ambitions ( for which he sought Garfield 's support ) , and other candidates fell by the wayside . Garfield was elected to the Senate by the General Assembly in January 1880 , though his term was not to begin until March 4 , 1881 . 
