Changes

==Background==

==Background==

Born in the capital city of  [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], Cramer moved with his parent, Walter B. Cramer (1893-1979) and Doreen E. Cramer (1899-1965), to St. Petersburg, often called "St. Pete," when he was only three years of age.  After the census of 2000, St. Petersburg became the fourth largest city in the state. He attended public [[Segregation|segregated]] schools and graduated from St. Petersburg High School, at which he waged his first political campaigns by running for student government. He then attended St. Petersburg Junior College, the first public community college in Florida. Cramer grew up with a strong work ethic: as a teenager, he held a variety of jobs. Before entering the [[University of North Carolina]] at Chapel Hill to complete an undergraduate degree, he worked as a bellhop at a resort hotel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30150884?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents|author=Billy Hathorn|title=Cramer v. Kirk: The Florida Republican Schism of 1970"|publisher=''The Florida Historical Quarterly' Vol. LXVII, No. 4 (April 1990)|page=404.</ref>

Born in the capital city of  [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], Cramer moved with his parent, Walter B. Cramer (1893-1979) and Doreen E. Cramer (1899-1965),<ref name=findagrave/> to St. Petersburg, often called "St. Pete," when he was only three years of age.  After the census of 2000, St. Petersburg became the fourth largest city in the state. He attended public [[Segregation|segregated]] schools and graduated from St. Petersburg High School, at which he waged his first political campaigns by running for student government. He then attended St. Petersburg Junior College, the first public community college in Florida. Cramer grew up with a strong work ethic: as a teenager, he held a variety of jobs. Before entering the [[University of North Carolina]] at Chapel Hill to complete an undergraduate degree, he worked as a bellhop at a resort hotel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30150884?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents|author=Billy Hathorn|title=Cramer v. Kirk: The Florida Republican Schism of 1970"|publisher=''The Florida Historical Quarterly' Vol. LXVII, No. 4 (April 1990)|page=404.</ref>

In 1943, Cramer enlisted in the [[United States Navy]]. With his degree, he was commissioned as a gunnery officer and fought to liberate France during [[World War II]]. After the war, he served in the  Navy Reserve until 1946. That same year, Cramer graduated [[Phi Beta Kappa]] from the [[University of North Carolina]] in Chapel Hill. In 1948, he graduated from [[Harvard Law School]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambrid

In 1943, Cramer enlisted in the [[United States Navy]]. With his degree, he was commissioned as a gunnery officer and fought to liberate France during [[World War II]]. After the war, he served in the  Navy Reserve until 1946. That same year, Cramer graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the [[University of North Carolina]] in Chapel Hill. In 1948, he graduated from [[Harvard Law School]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambrid

Cramer married the former Alice Jones (1930-2004) of Dothan, [[Alabama]], the daughter of Clifton V. and Myrtle G. Jones and a graduate of [[Auburn University]] and the International Institute of Interior Design in [[Washington, D.C.]] She was an interior designer licensed to practice in Florida, a watercolor artist, and a Republican women's activist. Before divorcing years later, the Cramers had three sons, William, Jr. (born 1952) (wife Carolyn Thomas Cramer).<ref>{{cite web|url=Alice Cramer Obituary (2004) - Birmingham, AL - The Birmingham News|title=Alice Cramer obituary|publisher='The Birmingham News''|date=February 17, 2004|accessdate=March 15, 2021}}</ref> In the early 1990s, Cramer married the former Sarah Ellen Bromelow, previously Sarah Hilber (born 1942).

Cramer married the former Alice Jones (1930-2004) of Dothan, [[Alabama]], the daughter of Clifton V. and Myrtle G. Jones and a graduate of [[Auburn University]] and the International Institute of Interior Design in [[Washington, D.C.]] She was an interior designer licensed to practice in Florida, a watercolor artist, and a Republican women's activist. Before divorcing years later, the Cramers had three sons, William, Jr. (born 1952) (wife Carolyn Thomas Cramer).<ref>{{cite web|url=Alice Cramer Obituary (2004) - Birmingham, AL - The Birmingham News|title=Alice Cramer obituary|publisher='The Birmingham News''|date=February 17, 2004|accessdate=March 15, 2021}}</ref> In the early 1990s, Cramer married the former Sarah Ellen Bromelow, previously Sarah Hilber (born 1942).

==State representative==

==State representative==

 

In 1950, Cramer ran for state representative and was the campaign manager for the Pinellas County Republican slate, none of whose fourteen members had previously sought office. The Republicans decried inefficient government and "boss-type" politics, organized the grassroots, and offered a unified ticket. All but one of the GOP candidates were elected. Cramer became the "titular head" of the party in Pinellas County. In 1974, the Republican State Executive Committee honored Cramer as Florid<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk'' <a's "Mr. Republican." In 1967, ''The Tampa Tribune'' humorously paraphrased the biblical Book of John: "In the beginning there was the party, and the party was with Bill Cramer, and the party was Bill Cramer."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 405.</ref>

In 1950, Cramer ran for state representative and was the campaign manager for the Pinellas County Republican slate, none of whose fourteen members had previously sought office. The Republicans decried inefficient government and "boss-type" politics, organized the grassroots, and offered a unified ticket. All but one of the GOP candidates were elected. Cramer became the "titular head" of the party in Pinellas County. In 1974, the Republican State Executive Committee honored Cramer as Florid<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk'' <a's "Mr. Republican." In 1967, ''The Tampa Tribune'' humorously paraphrased the biblical Book of John: "In the beginning there was the party, and the party was with Bill Cramer, and the party was Bill Cramer."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 405.</ref>

In 1954, with a stronger organization, Cramer ran again and unseated Campbell by the same 0.7 percent margin by which he had lost in 1952.<ref>State of Florida, General election returns, November 4, 1952, and November 2, 1954</ref> Cramer found that the $40,000 he spent in 1954 was insufficient for advertising in the still new medium of television, but the state party had contributed several thousand dollars to his campaign.<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk,"" p. 406.</ref>Assigned to the House Public Works Committee, Cramer worked to expand interstate highways and to keep them without tolls. He backed a federal interstate project to tie [[Miami]] with [[Tampa], the large city next to St. Petersburg.

In 1954, with a stronger organization, Cramer ran again and unseated Campbell by the same 0.7 percent margin by which he had lost in 1952.<ref>State of Florida, General election returns, November 4, 1952, and November 2, 1954</ref> Cramer found that the $40,000 he spent in 1954 was insufficient for advertising in the still new medium of television, but the state party had contributed several thousand dollars to his campaign.<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk,"" p. 406.</ref>Assigned to the House Public Works Committee, Cramer worked to expand interstate highways and to keep them without tolls. He backed a federal interstate project to tie [[Miami]] with [[Tampa], the large city next to St. Petersburg.

===Senatorial election of 1970===

===Senatorial election of 1970===