The Chicago Daily Tribune published a general defense of Lincoln in its June 24 edition, while also admitting that the editors did not then know whether Lincoln “did or not vote against that war.” The paper published a thorough refutation of the Daily Chicago Times’ attack upon Lincoln in its June 26 issue. Although Lincoln opposed the Mexican War and questioned its constitutionality during his time in the U.S. House, he nevertheless voted in favor of supplies for U.S. troops on at least two occasions: February 17 and March 8, 1848. In both instances, the bills Lincoln voted for passed the U.S. Senate and became law, funneling aid in the form of money, food, clothing, medical supplies, and the like to U.S. military personnel serving in Mexico.

Despite publication of the facts surrounding Lincoln's voting record in the U.S. House in the Illinois press as early as June 25, 1858—including by Democratic newspapers—Douglas repeated the Daily Chicago Times' claims throughout the election campaign of 1858. In speeches he delivered during the campaign, including during the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln repeatedly refuted the charges and cited congressional records to back up his voting record in the U.S. House.

Ultimately, in the local elections of 1858, Republicans won a majority of all votes cast in Illinois, but pro-Douglas Democrats retained control of the Illinois General Assembly. At the time, members of the General Assembly voted for and elected the state’s representatives in the U.S. Senate, and Douglas won reelection. Through the campaign, however, and in particular through his participation in the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln gained recognition as well as standing within the national Republican Party.