Backed by Hanna 's money and organizational skills , McKinley quietly built support for a presidential bid through 1895 and early 1896 . When other contenders such as Speaker Reed and Iowa Senator William B. Allison sent agents outside their states to organize Republicans in support of their candidacies , they found that Hanna 's agents had preceded them . According to historian Stanley Jones in his study of the 1896 election , Hanna , on McKinley 's behalf , met with the eastern Republican political bosses , such as Senators Thomas Platt of New York and Matthew Quay of Pennsylvania , who were willing to guarantee McKinley 's nomination in exchange for promises regarding patronage and offices . McKinley , however , was determined to obtain the nomination without making deals , and Hanna accepted that decision . Many of their early efforts were focused on the South ; Hanna obtained a vacation home in southern Georgia where McKinley visited and met with Republican politicians from the region . McKinley needed 453 ½ delegate votes to gain the nomination ; he gained nearly half that number from the South and border states . Platt lamented in his memoirs , " Hanna had the South practically solid before some of us awakened . " The bosses still hoped to deny McKinley a first-ballot majority at the convention by boosting support for local favorite son candidates such as Quay , New York Governor ( and former vice president ) Levi P. Morton , and Illinois Senator Shelby Cullom . Delegate-rich Illinois proved a crucial battleground , as McKinley supporters , such as Chicago businessman ( and future vice president ) Charles G. Dawes , sought to elect delegates pledged to vote for McKinley at the national convention in St. Louis . Cullom proved unable to stand against McKinley despite the support of local Republican machines ; at the state convention at the end of April , McKinley completed a near-sweep of Illinois ' delegates . Former president Harrison had been deemed a possible contender if he entered the race ; when Harrison made it known he would not seek a third nomination , the McKinley organization took control of Indiana with a speed Harrison privately found unseemly . Morton operatives who journeyed to Indiana sent word back that they had found the state alive for McKinley . Wyoming Senator Francis Warren wrote , " The politicians are making a hard fight against him , but if the masses could speak , McKinley is the choice of at least 75 % of the entire body of Republican voters in the Union "
the convention
1896 Republican National Convention
William McKinley