 Woodford ran successfully for lieutenant governor in 1866 and served from 1867 to 1868.After losing the 1870 race for governor, in 1872, Woodford was elected to the U.S. House, and he served a partial term.From 1877 to 1883, he served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and he served as Minister to Spain from 1897 until the start of hostilities during the Spanish–American War.