[GeronL]

It took a literal Civil War to create a New one.

Well, the Republican Party was around before the Civil War. It's first candidate was John C Fremont

[KC_Lion]

Yes but it was the Election of Lincoln that drove the south into Rebellion, but you are right in 1856 Fremont captured enough votes and states taht it showed that Anti-Slavery Republicans could win without the support of the Slave States.

The Mere Idea that the Republicans weren't going to be the Get Along Gang with the Spread of Slavery to Kansas and the rest of Rest was enough to touch off the Civil War.