Today, Debs is remembered for his role in the 1894 Pullman Strike and his activities as a Socialist politician during the Progressive era. But he was originally a Democrat and a capitalist who served one term in the Indiana General Assembly. It wasn't until reading Socialist literature after being imprisoned for his role in the Pullman Strike that Debs became a Socialist. But what if he never had? Could he maintain some influence in mainstream politics and labor activism? How would this affect the 1912 election, where Debs received 6% of the vote? Would US Socialism be even less significant than in OTL?