[2] In 1933, Cross won a seat on the Augusta Common Council[2] and in 1937 he was elected to the Board of Aldermen,[2] and he served as presiding officer of both bodies.

[2] In 1952, Cross won the Republican nomination for Governor and went on to defeat Democrat James Oliver in the general election by a substantial margin.

[2] At 11:00am on January 8, 1953, Cross' official elected term of office began[2][3][4][5] During Cross's term, the state highway commission was reorganized under a full time commissioner, and the state finance office was modernized and brought under closer control of the governor.

[7] Although personally exonerated in the liquor scandal, a politically wounded Cross was defeated in his reelection bid in 1954 by Democratic challenger, Edmund S. Muskie, by over 20,000 votes.

[2] Cross never sought public office again but returned to private life as an insurance and stock broker until his retirement in 1971.