[91] Intending to make it undeniably clear he would not be a candidate, Blaine left the country and was staying with Andrew Carnegie in Scotland when the National Convention began, not returning to the United States until August; the delegates finally accepted Blaine's refusal to be nominated.[92] After New York switched to Harrison's column, he gained the needed momentum for victory.[85] Harrison was nominated as the party's presidential candidate on the eighth ballot, by a count of 544 to 108 votes.[93] Levi P. Morton of New York—a banker, former U.S. Minister to France, and former U.S. congressman—was chosen as his running mate.[94][80] At their National Convention in St. Louis, Democrats rallied behind President Cleveland and his running-mate, Senator Allen G. Thurman from Ohio; Vice President Hendricks had died in office on November 25, 1885.[80] After returning to America, Blaine visited Harrison at his home in October.