William C. Cramer
Encyclopedia
William Cato Cramer was a U.S. Representative
from Florida
.
Cramer was born in Denver, Colorado
. He was three years old when his parents moved to St. Petersburg, Florida
. He attended the public schools and St. Petersburg Junior College
and enlisted
in the United States Navy
in 1943, serving as a gunnery officer in the invasion of France
during World War II
. He served in the United States Naval Reserve
from 1943 to 1946. Cramer graduated Phi Beta Kappa
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
in 1946. He graduated from Harvard Law School
in 1948 and entered private practice
in Florida.
Cramer was elected to the Florida House of Representatives
, serving from 1950 to 1952, and was county attorney
for Pinellas County, Florida
from 1953 to 1954.
Cramer ran as a Republican
for the 83rd Congress
in the 1952 election, but lost to Courtney W. Campbell
. However, two years later, in the 1954 election, he was elected to the 84th Congress
. Cramer was subsequently reelected to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1955, to January 3, 1971. Cramer served as the Representative from three different congressional district
s: The 1st district
(84th through 87th Congresses
, from 1955 to 1963), the 12th district
(the 88th
and 89th Congresses
, from 1963 to 1967) and the 8th district
(90th
and 91st Congresses
, from 1967 to 1971).
When first elected, Cramer was the only Republican member of Congress from Florida and the first Republican member of Congress from the state since Reconstruction. http://www.house.gov/mica/fs102003.htmhttp://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03EFDF1131F934A15753C1A9659C8B63
Cramer served as ranking member
on the House Public Works Committee
and was vice chairman of the House Republican Conference
. He was noted for his opposition to desegregation busing. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_/ai_n9340418
He was not a candidate for reelection in the 1970 House elections. Instead, he ran in the Senate elections, seeking the open seat being vacated by Spessard Holland
, a Democrat
. Cramer defeated G. Harrold Carswell in the Republican primary
but was defeated in the general election
by the Democrat Lawton Chiles
, 53.9 to 46.1 percent.
Cramer served as delegate or alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention
s from 1952 to 1984. He sat on the Republican National Committee
as the representative from Florida for 20 years, from 1964 to 1984, and was the committee's general counsel for six years.
He died at the age of 81 in 2003, in South Pasadena
. The cause of death was complications
of a heart attack
. He is interred in Woodlawn Memory Gardens in St. Petersburg.
The William C. Cramer Post Office Building is named for him. http://www.house.gov/mica/fs072202.htm
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Cramer was born in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. He was three years old when his parents moved to St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. He attended the public schools and St. Petersburg Junior College
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida, serving some 65,000 students annually...
and enlisted
Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1943, serving as a gunnery officer in the invasion of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He served in the United States Naval Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
from 1943 to 1946. Cramer graduated Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in 1946. He graduated from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1948 and entered private practice
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
in Florida.
Cramer was elected to the Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
, serving from 1950 to 1952, and was county attorney
County attorney
A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
for Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
from 1953 to 1954.
Cramer ran as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
for the 83rd Congress
83rd United States Congress
The Eighty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years...
in the 1952 election, but lost to Courtney W. Campbell
Courtney W. Campbell
Courtney Warren Campbell was a U.S. Representative from Florida.Born in Chillicothe, Missouri, Campbell was educated in Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, and the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri....
. However, two years later, in the 1954 election, he was elected to the 84th Congress
84th United States Congress
The Eighty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1955 to January 3, 1957, during the third and...
. Cramer was subsequently reelected to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1955, to January 3, 1971. Cramer served as the Representative from three different congressional district
Congressional district
A congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
s: The 1st district
Florida's 1st congressional district
Florida's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida, covering the state's western Panhandle. It includes all of Escambia, Holmes, Washington, and Santa Rosa counties and portions of Okaloosa and Walton counties...
(84th through 87th Congresses
87th United States Congress
-House of Representatives :-Senate:* President: Richard Nixon , until January 20, 1961** Lyndon Johnson , from January 20, 1961* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden -House of Representatives:...
, from 1955 to 1963), the 12th district
Florida's 12th congressional district
Florida's 12th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida that encompasses much of Polk County as well as parts of rural and suburban east Hillsborough County and a small piece of western Osceola County....
(the 88th
88th United States Congress
The Eighty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1963 to January 3, 1965, during the last year of...
and 89th Congresses
89th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President of the Senate: Hubert Humphrey , starting January 20, 1965* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Mike Mansfield...
, from 1963 to 1967) and the 8th district
Florida's 8th congressional district
Florida's 8th congressional district lies in central Florida. The district takes in parts of Orange County, Lake County, Marion County and Osceola County. Most of Orlando is in the district, including Walt Disney World...
(90th
90th United States Congress
The Ninetieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1967 to January 3, 1969, during the last two years of...
and 91st Congresses
91st United States Congress
The Ninety-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1971, during the first two years...
, from 1967 to 1971).
When first elected, Cramer was the only Republican member of Congress from Florida and the first Republican member of Congress from the state since Reconstruction. http://www.house.gov/mica/fs102003.htmhttp://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03EFDF1131F934A15753C1A9659C8B63
Cramer served as ranking member
Ranking member
In United States politics, a ranking member is the second-most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the majority party. Another usage refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. This second usage, often...
on the House Public Works Committee
United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
and was vice chairman of the House Republican Conference
Republican Conference of the United States House of Representatives
The House Republican Conference is the party caucus for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. It hosts meetings and is the primary forum for communicating the party's message to members...
. He was noted for his opposition to desegregation busing. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_/ai_n9340418
He was not a candidate for reelection in the 1970 House elections. Instead, he ran in the Senate elections, seeking the open seat being vacated by Spessard Holland
Spessard Holland
Spessard Lindsey Holland was an American lawyer, politician and elected officeholder. He was the 28th Governor of Florida from 1941 until 1945, during World War II. After finishing his term as governor, he was a United States Senator from Florida from 1946 until 1971...
, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Cramer defeated G. Harrold Carswell in the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
but was defeated in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
by the Democrat Lawton Chiles
Lawton Chiles
Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. was an American politician from the US state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives , the Florida State Senate , the United States Senate , and as the 41st Governor of...
, 53.9 to 46.1 percent.
Cramer served as delegate or alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
s from 1952 to 1984. He sat on the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
as the representative from Florida for 20 years, from 1964 to 1984, and was the committee's general counsel for six years.
He died at the age of 81 in 2003, in South Pasadena
South Pasadena, Florida
South Pasadena is a city located in southern Pinellas County, Florida, near St. Petersburg. The population was 5,778 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,745 .-Geography:...
. The cause of death was complications
Complication (medicine)
Complication, in medicine, is an unfavorable evolution of a disease, a health condition or a medical treatment. The disease can become worse in its severity or show a higher number of signs, symptoms or new pathological changes, become widespread throughout the body or affect other organ systems. A...
of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. He is interred in Woodlawn Memory Gardens in St. Petersburg.
The William C. Cramer Post Office Building is named for him. http://www.house.gov/mica/fs072202.htm