In January 1860, Lincoln told a group of political allies that he would accept the presidential nomination if offered and, in the following months, several local papers endorsed his candidacy.
ɪn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti, lˈɪŋkən tˈoʊld ɐ ɡɹˈuːp ʌv pəlˈɪɾɪkəl ˈælaɪz ðæt hiː wʊd ɐksˈɛpt ðə pɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl nˌɑːmᵻnˈeɪʃən ɪf ˈɔfɚd ænd, ɪnðə fˈɑːloʊɪŋ mˈʌnθs, sˈɛvɹəl lˈoʊkəl pˈeɪpɚz ɛndˈoːɹst hɪz kˈændɪdəsi.