Technocrat
Banned
Well if we accept that Bryan couldn't have won on a Populist ticket, that means that perhaps we can port the way he had a good shot at the Presidency to Debs.
So how do you get one of the parties to support him?
While the Progressive movement's counterpart among the Dems was interested in breaking the Republican industrial-commercial power structure, they wouldn't have found the side of immigrant workers to be acceptable. As much as Debs would contest the fact, citing the Republicans as his enemies, the Dems would still see his constituency as those who are loyal to the Grand Old Party.
Also, since the Democrats are still something akin to the Party of the Confederacy, I'm not sure the immigrant workers would choose them over the plutocratic Republicans that represent their hated bosses. Plus the political machines in New York and the like aren't exactly endearing Democrats to the Northern working man.
The best I can think of in this scenario is Bryan getting elected, the Populist wing completely swallowing the Democratic party, and the Socialists becoming a wing to the Populist-dominated party; with Norman Thomas or Upton Sinclair eventually becoming president decades later.
So how do you get one of the parties to support him?
While the Progressive movement's counterpart among the Dems was interested in breaking the Republican industrial-commercial power structure, they wouldn't have found the side of immigrant workers to be acceptable. As much as Debs would contest the fact, citing the Republicans as his enemies, the Dems would still see his constituency as those who are loyal to the Grand Old Party.
Also, since the Democrats are still something akin to the Party of the Confederacy, I'm not sure the immigrant workers would choose them over the plutocratic Republicans that represent their hated bosses. Plus the political machines in New York and the like aren't exactly endearing Democrats to the Northern working man.
The best I can think of in this scenario is Bryan getting elected, the Populist wing completely swallowing the Democratic party, and the Socialists becoming a wing to the Populist-dominated party; with Norman Thomas or Upton Sinclair eventually becoming president decades later.