The correct answer is help him win the presidency of the election of 1860.
The race for Congress in 1858 between Abe Lincoln and Stephen Douglas became extremely popular thanks to the Lincoln-Douglas debates. These debates happened all over the state of Illinois. These events were known for their content and helped to propel Abe Lincoln to national prominence. Before this time, Lincoln was a small town politician in Illinois. After this, he became the candidate for the Republican Party in 1860.