Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Muna 1855, Brainerd akanga ari mumwe wavarongi vebato idzva reRepublican Party, iro rakavambwa sesangano guru rezvematongerwe enyika rinorwisana nouranda. Akashanda sachigaro wekutanga weVermont Republican Party, uye aive mumwe wevashanu vatungamiriri vebato rehurumende avo vakaburitsa kudanwa kweyekutanga Republican National Convention muna 1856
. Brainerd akanga ari nhume, uye sapurezidhendi wenguva pfupi iye akadana kokorodzano kuti iite musangano wayo wokutanga. Brainerd akazosarudzwa kuti ashande semumwe wevatevedzeri vemutungamiri wekokorodzano, uye akagadzwa senhengo yeRepublican National Committee. Brainerd akasarudzwa semumwe weVermont's presidential electors mushure mesarudzo dza1856. Apo vavhoti veVermont vakasangana muna December kuti vavhote, Brainerd akasarudzwa kuva sachigaro wavo. Vose vakasarudza tikiti reRepublican raJohn C. Frémont nokuda kwokuva purezidhendi naWilliam L. Dayton nokuda kwokuva mutevedzeri wapurezidhendi, uyo akatakura Vermont asi akarasikirwa nesarudzo.