[60] Cleveland also asked the state legislature to form a Commission to develop a plan to improve the sewer system in Buffalo at a much lower cost than previously proposed locally; this plan was successfully adopted.[61] For this, and other actions safeguarding public funds, Cleveland began to gain a reputation beyond Erie County as a leader willing to purge government corruption.[62]

Governor of New York
Gubernatorial portrait of Grover Cleveland
New York Democratic party officials began to consider Cleveland a possible nominee for governor.[63] Daniel Manning, a party insider who admired Cleveland's record, was instrumental in his candidacy.[64] With a split in the state Republican party in 1882, the Democratic party was considered to be at an advantage; several men contended for that party's nomination.[63] The two leading Democratic candidates were Roswell P. Flower and Henry W. Slocum. Their factions deadlocked, and the convention could not agree on a nominee.[65] Cleveland, in third place on the first ballot, picked up support in subsequent votes and emerged as the compromise choice.