The 1896 Republican National Convention nominated former Governor William McKinley of Ohio . With the help of campaign manager Mark Hanna , McKinley had emerged as the front-runner for the nomination long before the convention by building the support of Republican leaders throughout the country . In the general election , McKinley hoped to please both farmers and business interests by not taking a clear position on monetary issues . He focused his campaign on attacking the Cleveland administration 's handling of the economy , and argued that higher tariffs would restore prosperity . Many Populist leaders wanted to nominate Eugene Debs and campaign on the party 's full range of proposed reforms , but the 1896 Populist convention instead nominated Bryan . Republicans portrayed Bryan and the Populists as social revolutionaries engaged in class warfare , while Bryan attacked McKinley as a tool of the rich
1896 Republican National Convention
1896 Republican National Convention
Presidencies of Grover Cleveland