In North Carolina J.C.Pritchard, a regular Republican, was elected to the United States Senate, to fill the unexpired term of Senator Vance, but the Populist state chairman, Marion Butler, cool, calculating, and shrewd, took the full term to succeed Senator Ransom.

The Democratic party had maintained control for twenty years, and it was held responsible for all the ills from which the farmer suffered.

Then, too, some of the leaders of the new party felt that they would have greater opportunities for preferment by cooeperating with a party in which the number of white voters was small.
The doctrine of free silver had been making converts among the Democrats, however, and early in 1896 it was clear that a majority of the Southern delegates to the national convention would favor a silver plank.
The action of the convention in nominating Bryan and Sewall is told in another volume.[1] Bryan was also endorsed by the Populist convention, but that convention refused to endorse Sewall and nominated Thomas E.Watson for Vice-President.

A majority of the Populist convention favored a strict party fight, but the managers were shrewd, and the occasion manifestly offered great opportunities for trading.

In twenty-six States the electoral tickets were divided between Democrats and Populists.