 In giving attention to national affairs , McKinley neglected his home front in Ohio , and when the Republican state convention met in Zanesville in May 1895 , it proved to be controlled by the resurgent Foraker , who sought the Senate seat to be filled by the Ohio General Assembly in January 1896 . That convention endorsed McKinley for president and Foraker for Senate , and nominated Foraker supporters for state and party offices , including Asa Bushnell to succeed McKinley as governor . McKinley realized that it would be risky to have a faction hostile to the presidential candidate within his home state , and sought an alliance , campaigning for Bushnell and for a Republican legislature that would send Foraker to Washington . The voters chose Bushnell and gave the state Republicans a large majority in the legislature . In January 1896 , Foraker was overwhelmingly elected ( to take office in March 1897 ) , and McKinley gained Foraker 's agreement to support him for president , assuring party political peace at home . 
