The 10th Republican National Convention assembled in the Industrial Exposition Building in Minneapolis MN. It was attended by 906 delegates using the traditional allocation of two delegates per electoral vote and two per territory.
When the national convention assembled, the Republican Party was not enthusiastic about the race. The smashing Democratic victory in 1890 made it clear that the GOP ticket was not likely to perform well in 1892. Republican leaders, however, were reluctant to oppose Pres. Harrison.
The convention spent quite a lot of time debating how to resolve the situation of competing Alabama delegations. Some northern delegates wanted to seat neither delegation since the Republicans had no chance of winning Alabama in the election anyway. The convention took a roll call and seated the Harrison delegates on a narrow 476-365.5 vote (64.5 not voting).
The presidential nominations were interesting. Blaine was nominated first in a speech which carefully noted that he supported the President. Chauncey Depew gave one of the best speeches of his career in outlining why Pres. Harrison should be re-elected. A Blaine seconding speech included an interesting reference in which the delegate turned to McKinley and told him that if he waited his turn the party would elect him in four years. Pres. Harrison won re-nomination on the first ballot, and Whitelaw Reid was nominated by acclamation for VP (the first Republican convention to nominate a VP nominee without a roll call).
First ballot - President
--Benjamin Harrison (IN) 535.2
--James G. Blaine (ME) 182.2
--William McKinley (OH) 182
--Others 6.6
Temporary Chairman: J. Sloat Fassett (NY)
Permanent Chairman: William McKinley (OH)
9th Republican National Convention (1888): here
11th Republican National Convention (1896): Here
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