24. Western Republican Wolf - Southern Democratic Tiger                  

Source:  Republic County Freeman (Belleville, KS), May 12, 1892

Before the Populist Era, the Democratic Party dominated the South and the Republican Party generally did the same in the West.  Thus, the People's Party initially was seen as a scheme to split the dominant party in each region and put the other mainstream party in power.  The success that Populists enjoyed under such circumstances suggests a significant degree of dissatisfaction with voter's former parties in the 1890s.  By 1894, the People's Party was the major electoral threat to the dominant mainstream party in both sections.  The Democratic Party had collapsed in the West and the GOP did the same in the South.  Because the argument probably swayed many voters, Populist sentiment was greater than voting for the People's Party indicated. 

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