Political Career
After the end of the War of 1812, Butler returned to Kentucky. From 1817-1844, he worked as a lawyer and a politician. From 1839 to 1843, he served as a congressman. In 1844, he received a unanimous nomination of the Democratic Party for governor. Described as the most formidable candidate that the Democrats had ever nominated for governor, Butler’s race against Whig candidate William Owsley was close. Owsley won with 59,680 votes to Butler’s 55,056.
Read more about this topic: William Orlando Butler
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