Joseph F. Crangle (June 12, 1932 – January 12, 2021) was a lawyer and political boss in Erie County, New York. Crangle served overlapping terms as chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee from 1965 to 1988 and chair of the

New York State Democratic Committee The New York State Democratic Committee is the affiliate of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Its headquarters are in Manhattan, and it has an office in Albany, New York, Alba ...

from 1971 to 1974. Crangle was the longest-serving chairman of the Erie County Democratic Committee, the political party and

political machine In the politics of Representative democracy, representative democracies, a political machine is a party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives (such as money or political jobs) and that is characterized by a hig ...

that during his term came to dominate the politics of Buffalo, New York and its suburbs. He was a key backer of

Frank A. Sedita Frank Albert Sedita (June 20, 1907 – May 2, 1975) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 56th and 58th mayor of Buffalo, New York. Early life and education He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 20, 1907. His family ...

as mayor and opponent of

James D. Griffin James Donald "Jimmy" Griffin (June 29, 1929 – May 25, 2008) was an American politician who served in the New York State Senate (56th District, 1967–77) and then for 16 years as the Mayor of Buffalo, New York (1978–93). He later returned t ...

Anthony Masiello Anthony M. Masiello (born April 28, 1947) is an American politician and former basketball player who served as Mayor of Buffalo, New York from 1994 to 2005. Prior to being mayor, he served as a member of the New York State Senate. He is currently ...

recalled getting his start in politics through Crangle.

Campaigner

Wesley Barthelmes, press secretary to Robert F. Kennedy, recalled Crangle and his predecessor Erie County's Peter Crotty as among the few Democratic insiders to support Robert F. Kennedy's run in the

1964 United States Senate election in New York The 1964 United States Senate election in New York was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Kenneth Keating ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Robert F. Kennedy. Nominations The Socialist Labor sta ...

. Crangle later served on RFK's 1968 Presidential campaign in Michigan. In 1976, Crangle served as the chairman of for Senator

Daniel Patrick Moynihan Daniel Patrick Moynihan (March 16, 1927 – March 26, 2003) was an American politician, diplomat and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented New York in the United States Senate from 1977 until 2001 and served as an ...

's campaign. He joined Ted Kennedy's presidential campaign against Jimmy Carter.

References

1932 births 2021 deaths New York (state) local politicians American political bosses from New York (state) New York (state) Democrats 20th-century American lawyers {{NewYork-politician-stub