The central reason why William McKinley won the 1896 presidential election was the economic depression that had gripped the United States in the early 1890s. The depression caused widespread unemployment and economic hardship, and many voters blamed the incumbent Democratic administration of Grover Cleveland for the country's economic problems. McKinley, a Republican, campaigned on a platform of high tariffs to protect American industries and jobs, and he promised to bring economic prosperity back to the country. His platform resonated with voters, and he won the election by a wide margin.