Marion Butler

Marion Butler
United States Senator from North Carolina
In office March 4, 1895 – March 4, 1901
Preceded by	Matt W. Ransom
Succeeded by	Furnifold M. Simmons
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 14th district
In office 1891–1893
Preceded by	Edwin W. Kerr
Succeeded by	W. H. G. Lucas F. R. Cooper
Personal details
Born	(1863-05-20)May 20, 1863 Sampson County, North Carolina
Died	June 3, 1938(1938-06-03) (aged 75) Takoma Park, Maryland
Nationality	American
Political party	Populist
Other political affiliations	Democratic Republican
Spouse	Florence Faison Butler
Alma mater	University of North Carolina
Profession	Politician, Farmer, Lawyer, Editor, Publisher

Marion Butler (May 20, 1863 – June 3, 1938) was an American politician, farmer, and lawyer. He represented North Carolina in the United States Senate for one term, serving between 1895 and 1901. At the time, he was a leader of the North Carolina Populist Party, and also affiliated with the Democratic Party and the Republican Party at different points in his career. He was the older brother of George Edwin Butler.

Born in Sampson County, North Carolina, Butler took over his family's farm after graduating from the University of North Carolina. He became a leader of the Farmers' Alliance and won election to the North Carolina Senate as a member of the Democratic Party. During the 1892 election, he led a group of North Carolina Democrats opposed to Grover Cleveland into the Populist Party. As a leader of the Populists, Butler advocated "Fusion" with the Republican Party, and the Populists and Republicans together won control of the state legislature in the 1894 elections. The new legislature elected Butler to the United States Senate.

In the Senate, Butler advocated for Populist reforms like the institution of bimetallism and the nationalization of railroads. In the 1896 presidential election, Butler helped orchestrate a compromise with the national Democratic Party whereby both parties nominated William Jennings Bryan. Butler stood for re-election in 1900, but Democrats had regained control of the state legislature and he was defeated. After his defeat, Butler practiced law in Washington, D.C. He died in 1938 in Takoma Park, Maryland, a nearby suburb.