McKinley became governor of Ohio in 1892, a position he held for two terms until his presidential run four years later in 1896. He had to exert his authority to monitor labor unrest, even sending out the National Guard to help quell public disturbances. However, McKinley also tried to reign in the excesses of employers in their harsh treatment of unions and union members. On balance—like his mentor Rutherford B. Hayes (who was also a former governor of Ohio), McKinley was a popular governor.