 There were strong factional conflicts inside the Ohio Republican party . One source of bitterness was the 1888 Republican National Convention . Ohio Republicans had endorsed the state 's senior senator , John Sherman , for president . This was Sherman 's third attempt at the Republican nomination ; among his supporters were Cleveland industrialist Mark Hanna , and Governor Foraker , whom Hanna had to that point strongly supported . After repeated balloting , Sherman did not get close to the number of delegate votes needed to nominate , and when rumors swept the convention that the party 's 1884 nominee , former Maine senator James G. Blaine , might enter the race , Foraker expressed willingness to support Blaine . This dealt a serious blow to Sherman 's candidacy by showing division in his home state , and the nomination went to former Indiana senator Benjamin Harrison , who was Ohio @-@ born and who was elected . McKinley had received some delegate votes , and his action in refusing to consider a candidacy while pledged to support Sherman impressed Mark Hanna . The industrialist was outraged at Foraker and abandoned him . McKinley and Hanna shared similar political views , including support for a tariff to protect and encourage American industry , and in the years following 1888 , Hanna became a strong supporter of McKinley . 
