[DOC] [TLE] Abraham Lincoln Pre-Presidential Political Timeline [PAR] The following timeline provides a brief glimpse of his political career before the 
presidency. ... In 1856 he joined the newly formed Republican Party; two years 
later he ran for the U.S. Senate, ... Speaks in Illinois and Indiana on behalf of 
Henry Clay ... Loses bid for Senate when Illinois legislature elects Lyman 
Trumbull. [DOC] [TLE] Why Abraham Lincoln Was a Whig - University of Michigan [PAR] After all, most of his fellow citizens of Illinois were not persuaded by the Whig 
platforms. ... In this view, Lincoln's choice of a political party was connected with 
his pursuit ... (When Thomas lay dying in 1851, Abraham refused to visit him and 
did not attend .... such as Dorothea Dix, Horace Mann, and his own idol, Henry 
Clay. [DOC] [TLE] Illinois Legislature  Abraham Lincoln Historical Society [PAR] Abraham Lincoln spent a total of 8 years in the Illinois Legislature. Here is ... 
Henry Clay was his political idol. ... In 1834 he ran for the second time for the 
Whig Party. ... During this session Lincoln served as the leader of the Whigs in 
the State... [DOC] [TLE] Lincoln Home National Historic Site - National Park Service [PAR] The fact that Mary was a family friend of Lincoln's idol, Henry Clay, enhanced ... 
Mary baked the white cake for Abraham Lincoln when they were courting, as .... 
After serving in Congress, he returned to Springfield and dropped out of politics. 
... Republican Party and ran against Douglas for the Senate seat in Illinois in 
1858. [DOC] [TLE] Abraham Lincoln(1861-1865) [PAR] 1834-42 Member of the Illinois legislature ... Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th 
President of the United States. .... and Democratic parties began to take form, he 
followed his political idol, Henry Clay, and John T. Stuart, ... Twice Lincoln was 
his party's candidate for speaker, and when defeated, he served as its floor 
leader. [DOC] [TLE] Lincoln's Evolving Thoughts On Slavery, And Freedom : NPR [PAR] Oct 11, 2010 ... Douglas' political rival, former Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln, ... Like 
Henry Clay, Lincoln also supported repealing slavery gradually ... And by the end 
of the Civil War, 200,000 black men had served in the Union Army and Navy. .... 
As late as 1858, during his campaign for the U.S. Senate, Lincoln... [DOC] [TLE] Full text of "The influence of Henry Clay upon Abraham Lincoln" [PAR] William H. Herndon says that, during all the years of his law partnership with 
Lincoln, ... For the greater part of his political life Clay aspired to be President, but 
the grand prize ... Clay ran for the Kentucky Legislature, was elected, and served 
three terms in all. In 1832 Lincoln ran for the Illinois Legislature, and was 
defeated. [DOC] [TLE] Abraham Lincoln Biography - Classic Literature Library [PAR] When they returned to Illinois, he hired Lincoln as a clerk in a general store in ... 
Followers of U.S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky called themselves National 
Republicans and later Whigs. Lincoln supported Clay, who had long been his 
political idol. ... In 1834 Lincoln again ran for representative to the Illinois 
legislature. [DOC] [TLE] Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas - Abraham Lincoln's ... [PAR] Mr. Lincoln moved to Illinois when he was 21, Douglas when he was 20. ... He 
served in the House until the Illinois State Legislature elected him to the Senate 
in 1847. ... Henry Clay now proposed a comprehensive plan for adjusting all 
questions .... All of the anxious politicians of his party, or who have been of his 
party for... [DOC] [TLE] Abraham Lincoln and Springfield - Abraham Lincoln's Classroom [PAR] William H. Herndon, who served later as Mr. Lincoln's law partner, wrote that Mr. 
.... During the 1837 legislative session, Mr. Lincoln and his fellow Sangamon ... 
Springfield's status as the state capital meant that it had dual legal-political ...... of 
the Republican party was to 'Africanize' Illinois, changing the character of the war
... [DOC] [TLE] abraham lincoln The Bluegrass

Question: While serving in the Illinois legislature, Abe switched to this party of his political idol Henry Clay
Answer: the Whigs