Helm akatanga kusarudzwa kuKentucky House of Representatives muna 1826; pakati pa1826 na1843 akashanda gumi nerimwe remakore rimwe chete muimba yenyika. Muna 1844 akasarudzwa kuSeneti yenyika, kwaakashanda achienderera mberi kusvikira asarudzwa semumiriri weWhig Party wemutevedzeri gavhuna tikiti naJohn J. Crittenden, anozivikanwa neCrittenden Compromise. VaWhig vakakunda sarudzo huru uye Helm akakwidziridzwa kuva gavhuna musi waChikunguru 31, 1850, apo Crittenden akasiya basa kuti agamuchire kugadzwa seUnited States Attorney General muTennessee Mutungamiri Millard Fillmore's cabinet. Mushure mekushanda kwake gavhuna Helm akazova mutungamiri weRuzhinji rweLouisville neLouisville Nashville Railroad. Akaisa zviuru zvemadhora emari yake muchirongwa uye akanyengetedza vagari kuti vatenge nzira huru yekambani kuti vapedze mutsetse muna 1859.
John J. Crittenden