 As the state conventions drew nearer , Blaine announced that he would not be a candidate . His supporters doubted his sincerity and continued to encourage him to run , but Blaine still demurred . Hoping to make his intentions clear , Blaine left the country and was staying with Carnegie in Scotland when the 1888 Republican National Convention began in Chicago . Carnegie encouraged Blaine to accept if the convention nominated him , but the delegates finally accepted Blaine 's refusal . John Sherman was the most prominent candidate and sought to attract the Blaine supporters to his candidacy , but instead found them flocking to former senator Benjamin Harrison of Indiana after a telegram from Carnegie suggested that Blaine favored him . Blaine returned to the United States in August 1888 and visited Harrison at his home in October , where twenty @-@ five thousand residents paraded in Blaine 's honor . Harrison defeated Cleveland in a close election , and offered Blaine his former position as Secretary of State . 
