Complex sentence: In spite of Egan's popularity with voters, Vessey beat both Egan and Elrod to receive the Republican nomination; and, he defeated the Democratic candidate, Chauncey L. Wood.
Split into simpler sentences: In spite of Egan's popularity with voters, Vessey beat both Egan and Elrod to receive the Republican nomination. He went on to defeat the Democratic candidate, Chauncey L. Wood.