Yates, despite being a sitting governor, did not receive his party's nomination in 1904; he led the field of six candidates for 58 ballots, before throwing support behind State's Attorney Charles S. Deneen, in order to prevent the nomination of Frank O. Lowden, Yates' chief rival at the convention. In his years prior to Congress, Yates was popular on the chautauqua circuit, as well as working patronage jobs, such as serving in charge of telephone companies, as a member of the state utility commission.