Paul W. Cronin
Encyclopedia
Paul William Cronin was a one-term congressman of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts.
Cronin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 14, 1938 and graduated from Boston University
in 1962 and the John F. Kennedy School of Government
in 1969. He served as an Andover, Massachusetts
selectman, and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from 1967-1969. Before his election to Congress, he also served as a member of Rep. F. Bradford Morse
's Congressional Staff, and as a delegate to Republican National Conventions in both 1968 and 1972.
In 1972, he was elected as a Republican to the Ninety-third Congress, defeating future US Senator and Presidential candidate John Kerry
, who had moved to the Fifth District to seek the seat after Rep. Morse resigned to take a post at the United Nations
. Cronin's victory was a huge upset against the anti-war
candidate Kerry. He had trailed at one point by more than 20%, and his victory was often accredited to harsh attacks by The Lowell Sun, which attacked Kerry for being an elitist carpetbagger
and for his questioning of the patriotism
of those who supported the war.
In the House, Cronin served on the Interior Committee, and began a process that led ultimately to the creation, years later, of an urban park in Lowell. A businessman and non-ideologue at heart, Cronin placed himself in the moderate wing of his party.
In 1974, his first bid for re-election, Cronin faced an assertive challenge from a Lowell-based county commissioner Paul Tsongas
, who seized on President Nixon's impeachment troubles in what turned out to be a bad year, electorally, for Republicans nationwide. Tsongas demanded that Cronin release his income tax returns, but the congressman declined; Cronin also declined to debate Tsongas. Tsongas also made political hay over the failure of a technology firm, Mostek, to locate a facility in Lowell after Cronin had promised the firm would do so. A memorable Tsongas radio ad featured echoing footsteps in an empty building. In the November election, Tsongas won 61% of the vote --and went on to become a US Senator from Massachusetts and a candidate for President of the United States in 1992.
Cronin later in life would serve a number of positions at MassPort, and he unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for governor against William Weld
. In 1992, Cronin won the Republican nomination to regain his old seat against a weak incumbent Chester G. Atkins
. However, Atkins, who had been caught up in the House check-kiting scandal, would be defeated in the primary by an up and coming Democratic star, Martin T. Meehan, who in turn would handily defeat Cronin in the General Election. Cronin died on on April 5, 1997, from a brain tumor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Andover.
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Cronin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 14, 1938 and graduated from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in 1962 and the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
in 1969. He served as an Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
selectman, and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
from 1967-1969. Before his election to Congress, he also served as a member of Rep. F. Bradford Morse
F. Bradford Morse
Frank Bradford Morse was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. He had a notable career in the United States Congress and the United Nations. On Capitol Hill he served in various capacities for nearly twenty years, the last twelve as Congressman from Lowell,...
's Congressional Staff, and as a delegate to Republican National Conventions in both 1968 and 1972.
In 1972, he was elected as a Republican to the Ninety-third Congress, defeating future US Senator and Presidential candidate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, who had moved to the Fifth District to seek the seat after Rep. Morse resigned to take a post at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Cronin's victory was a huge upset against the anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
candidate Kerry. He had trailed at one point by more than 20%, and his victory was often accredited to harsh attacks by The Lowell Sun, which attacked Kerry for being an elitist carpetbagger
Carpetbagger
Carpetbaggers was a pejorative term Southerners gave to Northerners who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era, between 1865 and 1877....
and for his questioning of the patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
of those who supported the war.
In the House, Cronin served on the Interior Committee, and began a process that led ultimately to the creation, years later, of an urban park in Lowell. A businessman and non-ideologue at heart, Cronin placed himself in the moderate wing of his party.
In 1974, his first bid for re-election, Cronin faced an assertive challenge from a Lowell-based county commissioner Paul Tsongas
Paul Tsongas
Paul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
, who seized on President Nixon's impeachment troubles in what turned out to be a bad year, electorally, for Republicans nationwide. Tsongas demanded that Cronin release his income tax returns, but the congressman declined; Cronin also declined to debate Tsongas. Tsongas also made political hay over the failure of a technology firm, Mostek, to locate a facility in Lowell after Cronin had promised the firm would do so. A memorable Tsongas radio ad featured echoing footsteps in an empty building. In the November election, Tsongas won 61% of the vote --and went on to become a US Senator from Massachusetts and a candidate for President of the United States in 1992.
Cronin later in life would serve a number of positions at MassPort, and he unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for governor against William Weld
William Weld
William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...
. In 1992, Cronin won the Republican nomination to regain his old seat against a weak incumbent Chester G. Atkins
Chester G. Atkins
Chester Greenough Atkins is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He was a Democrat from Massachusetts.Atkins was born in Geneva, Switzerland on April 14, 1948 and graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School of Concord, Massachusetts in 1966 and Antioch College in 1970...
. However, Atkins, who had been caught up in the House check-kiting scandal, would be defeated in the primary by an up and coming Democratic star, Martin T. Meehan, who in turn would handily defeat Cronin in the General Election. Cronin died on on April 5, 1997, from a brain tumor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Andover.
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