Lawrence Francis Kramer

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الموسوعة الحرة

Lawrence Francis "Pat" Kramer Jr. (February 24, 1933 – August 24, 2023) was an American politician who was the Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey from 1967 to 1972[1] and 1975 until 1982.[2]

Kramer ran for Governor of New Jersey in the Republican primary in 1981. He came in second to future Governor Thomas Kean.[3]

Early life

Lawrence Francis Kramer was born on February 24, 1933. He was the fifth child and first son of Lawrence and Ann Kramer. He attended public schools in Paterson, graduating from School No. 20, Central High School (now John F. Kennedy High School). He attended Clemson University before earning a degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.[2]

Political career

Kramer, who owned a lumberyard, entered Paterson city politics by serving on the Board of Education and city planning board.[4]

Mayoralty

1966 election

In 1966, incumbent mayor Frank X. Graves Jr. was prohibited from seeking a third consecutive term. Republican municipal chairman Herman Steinberg and former U.S. Representative Gordon Canfield backed Kramer for the nomination for mayor over a large field of potential contenders, including sheriff Frank Davenport. Kramer faced Housing Authority chairman John Wegner in the November general election. Although Kramer was the underdog in the heavily Democratic city, he benefited from divided opposition following a bitter Democratic primary, in which Wegner, with the support of Passaic County boss Anthony Grossi, had narrowly defeated former mayor Michael DeVita. DeVita refused to endorse Wegner, and many of his supporters backed Kramer. Kramer won an impressive victory with 57% of the vote, carrying 67 of the 92 voting districts in Paterson and winning by roughly 6,000 votes. The victory instantly made Kramer a rising star in New Jersey Republican politics, and he was quickly mentioned as a future candidate for governor or United States Senate.[4]

Following his election, Kramer and Davenport seized control of the Passaic County Republican organization; Davenport became county chairman.[4]

First term (1967–1970)

Kramer quickly became popular in Paterson during his first term. President Richard Nixon appointed him one of four mayors to serve on the White House Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations.[4]

1969 election

في سعيه لإعادة انتخابه، واجه كرامر منافسة شرسة من رئيس البلدية السابق فرانك إكس. غريفز، الذي كان مؤهلاً لولاية ثالثة غير متتالية. فاز كرامر بنسبة 56% من الأصوات متفوقاً على غريفز. [ 4 ]

مفوض شؤون المجتمع

في سبتمبر 1972، عيّن حاكم ولاية نيوجيرسي، ويليام تي. كاهيل ، كرامر، الذي لم يكن مؤهلاً للترشح لولاية ثالثة متتالية في خريف ذلك العام، في حكومته كمفوض لشؤون المجتمع . إلا أن فترة ولايته كانت قصيرة، إذ خسر كاهيل ترشيح الحزب الجمهوري في الانتخابات التمهيدية في يونيو 1973. أمضى كرامر ما تبقى من الولاية في حالة من عدم الأهلية ، واستقال رسميًا من منصبه في عام 1974، حين خلف بريندان بيرن كاهيل . [ 4 ]

العودة إلى منصب رئيس البلدية

انتخابات عام 1974

في عام 1974، اعتمدت باترسون انتخابات بلدية غير حزبية تُجرى في شهر مايو، مما أتاح لكريمر فرصة العودة إلى منصبه رغم المشاعر المعادية للجمهوريين في نيوجيرسي خلال فضيحة ووترغيت . وقد نافس خليفته، توماس روني، في حملة انتخابية عامة شرسة ومتقاربة. وفي يوم الانتخابات، فاز كريمر بفارق 161 صوتًا من أصل أكثر من 25,000 صوت. [ 4 ]

تم الاعتراف بشلالات نهر باسيك الكبرى (المصورة هنا في عام 2016) كموقع تاريخي وطني خلال فترة ولاية كرامر الثالثة.

الفصل الدراسي الثالث (1975 – 1978)

خلال ولايته الثالثة، فكّر كرامر في الترشح لمنصب حاكم الولاية ضد بيرن عام 1977، لكنه قرر في النهاية عدم الترشح. وقد نجح في استقدام الرئيس جيرالد فورد لزيارة باترسون لحضور حفل تدشين شلالات غريت فولز كمعلم تاريخي وطني عام 1976، ومعلم تاريخي وطني للهندسة المدنية ، ومعلم تاريخي وطني للهندسة الميكانيكية عام 1977. [ 4 ]

انتخابات عام 1978

في عام 1978، أعيد انتخاب كريمر متفوقًا على روني وجون بيل، مدير الموارد البشرية في المدينة، بنسبة 55% من الأصوات. [ 4 ]

حملة عام 1981 لمنصب الحاكم

In 1981, Kramer began to traverse the state to campaign for governor. As a moderate, Kramer accumulated significantly more party organization support than his opponents and had endorsements from nine Republican county chairmen. Under the county line system, in which endorsed candidates received preferable ballot positioning and typically won the lion's share of the vote, Kramer appeared to be the favorite for the nomination. However, Kramer's leading opponent, former Assembly Speaker Thomas Kean, working with Governor Byrne and allies in the legislature, worked to pass a bill to eliminate the county line for the 1981 primaries.[4] The move, which was proposed by Kean advisor Roger Stone and supported by state senator Bill Gormley, effectively neutered Kramer's campaign late in the race, forcing him to change his campaign strategy to appeal directly to voters throughout the state.[4]

Ultimately, Kean won the primary with 31% of the vote and went on to be elected to two terms as governor. Kramer finished second with 21% of the vote, followed closely by businessman Bo Sullivan with 17% and state senator James Wallwork with 15%.[4]

Later career

After leaving office in 1982, Kramer declined to run for Passaic County Freeholder and began work as a consultant and developer, as well as a lobbyist for federal funding for Paterson. In 1983, Governor Kean nominated him for a seat on the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, but his nomination was blocked by Joseph Bubba through the practice of senatorial courtesy.[4]

He made his final run for office in 1991, when he ran for New Jersey Senate in the competitive 35th legislative district. Despite the Republican wave in that year's elections, which gained the party ten seats, Kramer was defeated by interim senator John Girgenti by 1,894 votes.[4]

Personal life and death

Kramer died on August 24, 2023, at the age of 90.[3] His former political opponent and eventual successor as mayor, Bill Pascrell, mourned Kramer as "a true public servant and a pillar of our city," as well as a "brilliant advisor, collaborator, and friend."[4]

References

  1. ↑"Mayor of Paterson Holds Talks To Head Off Further Disorders". Associated Press in the New York Times. July 4, 1968. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  2. 12"Pat Kramer". Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  3. 12Malinconico, Joe. "Pat Kramer, Paterson mayor who helped create Great Falls park, dies at 90", Paterson Press, August 25, 2023. Accessed August 27, 2023. "Lawrence 'Pat' Kramer Jr., the former mayor who played a pivotal role in the creation of a park at Paterson’s Great Falls, died Thursday night. He was 90."
  4. 123456789101112131415Wildstein, David (August 25, 2023). "Pat Kramer, four-term Paterson mayor and GOP gubernatorial frontrunner, dies at 90". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved June 10, 2025.