Complex sentence: In 1866, Melvin was nominated as the Republican candidate for Attorney General of West Virginia, and he won his election to the position with 23,509 votes, receiving the highest number of votes cast for an attorney in West Virginia's brief three-year history.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1866, Melvin was nominated as the Republican candidate for Attorney General of West Virginia, and he won his election to the position with 23,509 votes. He received the highest number of votes cast for an attorney in West Virginia's brief three-year history.