 He was elected to the Argentine Senate in 1884, and ran unsuccessfully for President in 1886.He later represented Argentina in talks with U.S. Secretary of State James Blaine for the formation of a Pan-American Congress; ultimately, however, the Argentine relationship with the British Empire led Irigoyen, who was otherwise amenable to the idea, to reject Blaine's proposals for closer economic ties with the United States.Irigoyen joined Bartolomé Mitre, Leandro Alem, and others in establishing the Civic Union in 1890.