<P> Tariff policy was the principal issue in the election . Harrison took the side of industrialists and factory workers who wanted to keep tariffs high, while Cleveland strenuously denounced high tariffs as unfair to consumers . His opposition to Civil War pensions and inflated currency also made enemies among veterans and farmers . On the other hand, he held a strong hand in the South and border states, and appealed to former Republican Mugwumps . </P> <P> Harrison swept almost the entire North and Midwest (losing only Connecticut and New Jersey), and narrowly carried the swing states of New York and Indiana (Harrison's home state) by a margin of 1% or less to achieve a majority of the electoral vote . Unlike the election of 1884, the power of the Tammany Hall political machine in New York City helped deny Cleveland the electoral votes of his home state . </P> <P> The 2000 presidential election pitted Republican candidate George W. Bush (the incumbent governor of Texas and son of former president George H.W. Bush) against Democratic candidate Al Gore (the incumbent Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton). Despite Gore receiving 543,895 more votes (0.51% of all votes cast), the Electoral College chose Bush as president by a vote of 271 to 266 . </P> <P> Vice President Gore secured the Democratic nomination with relative ease . Bush was seen as the early favorite for the Republican nomination, and despite a contentious primary battle with Senator John McCain and other candidates, secured the nomination by Super Tuesday . Many third - party candidates also ran, most prominently Ralph Nader . Bush chose former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney as his running mate, and Gore chose Senator Joe Lieberman as his . Both major - party candidates focused primarily on domestic issues, such as the budget, tax relief, and reforms for federal social - insurance programs, though foreign policy was not ignored . </P>

Who won the popular vote but lost the election