 In 1858 , Blaine ran for a seat in the Maine House of Representatives , and was elected . He ran for reelection in 1859 , 1860 , and 1861 , and was successful each time by large majorities . The added responsibilities led Blaine to reduce his duties with the Advertiser in 1860 , and he soon ceased editorial work altogether . Meanwhile , his political power was growing as he became chairman of the Republican state committee in 1859 , replacing Stevens . Blaine was not a delegate to the Republican convention in 1860 , but attended anyway as an enthusiastic supporter of Abraham Lincoln . Returning to Maine , he was elected Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives in 1861 and reelected in 1862 . With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 , he supported Lincoln 's war effort and saw that the Maine Legislature voted to organize and equip units to join the Union Army . 
