Final answer:
The Populist Party, despite its influence, struggled to gain support from industrial workers and primarily gained votes in the South and West. Their movement declined as Democrats began to adopt their policies and the economy recovered, leading to a lack of interest in third-party alternatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Populist Party, also known as the People's Party, had a significant presence in American politics in the late 19th century, especially during the 1890s. They sought to rally farmers and industrial workers against the economic challenges of the time, advocating for a shift away from the gold standard and towards the use of silver to help relieve debt burdens.
However, the Populist Party struggled to gain the support of industrial workers who were concerned that inflation would hurt them more than it would help. The Populists gained electoral votes predominantly from the South and West, not the industrial centers of the North.
Their movement, while influential, ultimately began to wane as the Democrats adopted many of their policies, particularly with the candidacy of William Jennings Bryan in 1896, whom the Populists supported. The decline of the Populist Party was attributable to their failure to connect with urban voters and the fading interest in third-party alternatives as the economy recovered.