Complex sentence: As a Democrat, he was the Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1869-72, elected in 1868 and 1870, and Secretary of State of New York from 1878-79, elected in 1877 and defeated for re-election in 1879.
Split into simpler sentences: As a Democrat, he was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1869 to 1872, elected in 1868 and 1870. He was Secretary of State of New York from 1878 to 1879, elected in 1877 and defeated for re-election in 1879.