He lost the Republican gubernatorial primary in 1924 to Ku Klux Klan-backed Ralph Owen Brewster by just 581 votes.

On January 31, 1921, Governor Frederic Hale Parkhurst died after just 26 days in office and was replaced by Senate President Percival P. Baxter.

During the recount, Governor Baxter declared that fraud had taken place in Portland's fourth ward, which was primarily composed of Irish-American voters opposed to the Ku Klux Klan-backed opponent of Farrington, Ralph O. Brewster.

In early August, his opponent, State Senator Ralph Owen Brewster, was named the nominee by a margin of just 581 votes.

He was appointed as an Associated Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court by his former primary opponent Ralph Brewster on November 16, 1928 and served in that role until his death.