Complex sentence: Butler ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Massachusetts as an independent in 1878, and also, in 1879, when he ran on the Democratic and Greenback tickets, but, in 1882, he was elected by the Democrats, who won no other state offices.
Split into simpler sentences: Butler ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Massachusetts as an independent in 1878, and again in 1879 on tickets nominated by the Democratic and Greenback Parties. In 1882, he was elected by the Democrats, who won no other state offices.