Absolom Madden West, 1818 (Perry County, Ala.) – September 30, 1894 (Holly Springs, Miss.)
VP candidate for Greenback Party 1884
Running mate with nominee: Benjamin F. Butler (1818-1893)
Popular vote: 134,294 (1.33%)
Electoral vote: 0/401
The campaign:
The Blaine/Cleveland contest was one of the nastiest campaigns in US history. The Greenback Party was in decline and the Prohibition Party was rising and actually placed third. Together they were spoilers in this very close election.
West was considered a conservative Greenbacker who was not in favor of the 8-hour workday or women's suffrage.
The Greenback Party was listed on the ballot in all but 9 states. Their strongest showings were in Butler's home state of Massachusetts (8.04%) and in Kansas (6.15%). Where there were 4-ways races they placed third in Ala., Ore., Ind., Penn., Colo., Me., Kan., and Mass.
As the late 1880s progressed, the Greenbackers either rejoined the Democratic Party (which was starting to co-opt some of their monetary views) or they became part of building the future populist movement. In 1888 so few delegates showed up at the Greenback nominating convention that the Party simply dissolved.
Election history:
1847 - Mississippi State Senate (Whig)
1863 - Mississippi Governor (Democratic) - defeated
1865 - US House of Representatives (Miss.) (Democratic) - not permitted to serve
187-? - Mississippi State Senate (Greenback Party)
1880 - US Senate (Miss.) (Greenback Party) - defeated
1880 - Nominee for Vice-President (Greenback Party) - defeated
Other occupations: Brigadier General - Mississippi State Militia during the Civil War, President of the Mississippi Central Railroad, Democratic Party Elector 1876, plantation owner
Buried: Hillcrest Cemetery (Holly Springs, Miss.)
Notes:
Purchased a mansion called "Oakleigh" in Holly Springs, Miss. in 1870.
Holly Springs is also the hometown of Fox News reporter Shepard Smith.
The Butler/West ticket was endorsed by the Anti-Monopoly Party.
Initially not in favor of secession but supported it as the Confederate States were created.
