The Progressive Era typically dates from the controversial presidential election of 1896, which William Jennings Bryan lost arguably due to wealthy businessmen such as Andrew Carnegie, John Rockefeller, and J. P. Morgan buying the presidency for their chosen candidate, William McKinley. This prompted in many a desire for social and political reform, which Theodore Roosevelt supported when he became president after McKinley’s assassination. After losing the Republican Party’s 1912 presidential nomination to William Taft, however, Roosevelt decided to form the Progressive Party to give the people a candidate who stood for reform.