hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ðə ɹˈædɪkəl ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkənz ænd ʌnsəksˈɛsfəli ɹˈæn fɔːɹ klˈɜːk ʌvðə stˈeɪt kˈoːɹt ʌv ɐpˈiːlz, ɐ bˈɪɾɚli dᵻvˈaɪsɪv kæmpˈeɪn ðæt fɔːɹʃˈædoʊd ðə fˈɑːloʊɪŋ jˈɪɹz ᵻlˈɛkʃənz fɔːɹ kɛntˈʌkiz ɡˈʌvɚnɚ ænd kəŋɡɹˈɛʃənəl sˈiːts.
He joined the Radical Republicans and unsuccessfully ran for clerk of the state Court of Appeals, a bitterly divisive campaign that foreshadowed the following year's elections for Kentucky's governor and congressional seats.