J. Sloat Fassett of New York was the temporary chairman, and Governor William McKinley of Ohio was the permanent chair of the convention.

James G. Blaine, Harrison's Secretary of State who had resigned from the cabinet on June 4, 1892, had his name submitted for consideration by the delegates on the eve of the convention but drew little support.

Although successful in his bid for re-nomination, President Harrison's performance was underwhelming for an incumbent, due in part to the crushing defeat that the party had suffered in the 1890 midterm elections.

He and Reid would lose the 1892 general election to former president Grover Cleveland and his running mate Adlai Stevenson.

Benjamin Harrison lost the support of Mark Hanna and Thomas Brackett Reed due to his patronage decisions.

Matthew Quay gave his support to the anti-Harrison movement as he felt Harrison accepted his resignation as chair of the RNC too quickly.

Anti-Harrison Republicans considered supporting Russell A. Alger, Shelby M. Cullom, William McKinley, Reed, Whitelaw Reid, and John Sherman.

[14] On July 27, Clarkson, who opposed Harrison's renomination, was replaced as chair of the RNC by William James Campbell.

[17] The Republican platform supported high tariffs, bimetallism, stiffer immigration laws, free rural mail delivery, and a canal across Central America.

It also expressed sympathy for the Irish Home Rule Movement and the plight of Jews under persecution in czarist Russia.