Republicans were generally successful in state and local elections around the country in 1899 , making McKinley optimistic about his chances at re-election heading into 1900 . With McKinley widely popular in the Republican Party , his renomination at the 1900 Republican National Convention was assured , but the identity of his running mate was unclear due to the death of Vice President Hobart in 1899 . The president personally favored Secretary of War Elihu Root or former Secretary of the Interior Cornelius Newton Bliss for the position , while Governor Theodore Roosevelt , Secretary of the Navy John Long , Seth Low , Ambassador Andrew Dickson White , Senator William Allison , and Congressman Jonathan P. Dolliver of Iowa also stood out as potential running mates . When the convention began in Philadelphia in June 1900 , none of the potential running mates had overwhelming support , but Roosevelt had the broadest range of support from around the country . McKinley remained uncommitted in public , but Hanna was firmly opposed to the New York governor . Hanna 's stance was undermined by the efforts of political boss and New York Senator Thomas Platt , who , disliking Roosevelt 's reform agenda , sought to sideline the governor by making him vice president . On June 21 , McKinley was unanimously renominated and , with Hanna 's reluctant acquiescence , Roosevelt was nominated for vice president on the first ballot . The Democratic convention convened the next month in Kansas City and nominated William Jennings Bryan , setting up a rematch of the 1896 contest
1900 Republican National Convention
1900 Republican National Convention
Presidency of William McKinley