 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Akazvarwa uye akakurira muIllinois, Bryan akatamira kuNebraska muma1880. Akakunda sarudzo kuImba yeVamiririri musarudzo dza1890, achishanda nguva mbiri asati aedza zvisingabudirire kupinda muSeneti muna 1894. PaDemocratic National Convention ya1896Bryan akapa Kutaura kweMuchinjikwa weGoridhe kwake uko kwakarwisa mwero wegoridhe uye fariro dzemari dzokumabvazuva ndokukurudzira mitemo yokuwedzera mari yakavakirwa pamari yakawedzerwa yemari yesirivha. Mukuramba Mutungamiri Grover Cleveland nevatsigiri vake veBurbon Democrats, musangano weDemocratic wakadoma Bryan kuti ave mutungamiri wenyika, zvichiita kuti Bryan ave muduku pane vose vakasarudzwa kuti vave mutungamiri wenyika nebato guru munhoroondo yeUnited States. Pashure pacho, Bryan akasarudzwawo kuti ave purezidhendi nebato rePopulist Party, uye maPopulist akawanda aizotevera Bryan kupinda muDemocratic Party. Musarudzo dzomutungamiri wenyika dzakarwiwa zvikuru muna 1896, mukwikwidzi weRepublican William McKinley akabuda achikunda. Pazera ramakore 36, Bryan anoramba ari munhu muduku zvikurusa munhau yeUnited States kugamuchira vhoti yesarudzo. Bryan akawana mukurumbira somukurukuri, sezvo iye akagadzira rwendo rwenyika rwekutsika apo akasvika vateereri vevanhu vane mamiriyoni mashanu mumatunhu 27 muna 1896. 