 Sampson and Congressman John M. Robsion organized a formidable Republican faction in the eastern part of Kentucky. In 1927, Sampson was a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. His opponent was Robert H. Lucas, a tax collector for the Internal Revenue Service. Lucas secured the support of Kentucky senators Frederic M. Sackett and Richard P. Ernst, while Sampson was backed by longtime supporter John M. Robsion and the Jockey Club, a coalition of leaders who supported parimutuel betting on horse races. Sampson won the primary by a margin of 39,375.
