In November 1899 , Vice President Garret Hobart died of heart failure , leaving an open spot on the 1900 Republican national ticket . Though Henry Cabot Lodge and others urged him to run for vice president in 1900 , Roosevelt was reluctant to take the powerless position and issued a public statement saying that he would not accept the nomination . Additionally , Roosevelt was informed by President McKinley and campaign manager Mark Hanna that he was not being considered for the role of vice president due to his actions prior to the Spanish – American War . Eager to be rid of Roosevelt , Platt nonetheless began a newspaper campaign in favor of Roosevelt 's nomination for the vice presidency . Roosevelt attended the 1900 Republican National Convention as a state delegate and struck a bargain with Platt : Roosevelt would accept the nomination if the convention offered it to him , but would otherwise serve another term as governor . Platt asked Pennsylvania party boss Matthew Quay to lead the campaign for Roosevelt 's nomination , and Quay outmaneuvered Hanna at the convention to put Roosevelt on the ticket . Roosevelt won the nomination unanimously
1900 Republican National Convention
1900 Republican National Convention
Theodore Roosevelt