ɪnðɪ ˈæftɚmˌæθ ʌvðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt ᵻlˈɛkʃən, nˈuːzpeɪpɚz fɹˈiːkwəntli mˈɛnʃənd lˈɪŋkən æz ɐ pətˈɛnʃəl ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən pɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl kˈændᵻdˌeɪt, ɹˈaɪvəld baɪ wˈɪljəm ˈeɪtʃ. sˈuːɚd, sˈæmən pˈiː. tʃˈeɪs, ˈɛdwɚd bˈeɪts, ænd sˈaɪmən kˈæmɚɹən.
In the aftermath of the 1858 election, newspapers frequently mentioned Lincoln as a potential Republican presidential candidate, rivaled by William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, and Simon Cameron.