Sitting Democratic governor Brown refused to campaign for Hardin , and the Populist Party also ran Thomas S. Pettit , who siphoned off votes for Hardin .
The strategy backfired as conservative Democrats abandoned the party .
Sitting Democrats governor Brown refused to campaign for Hardin , and the Populist Party also ran Thomas S. Pettit , who siphoned off votes for Hardin .
The strategy backfired as conservative Democrats abandoned the party .