Williams’ tenure as chairman led to infighting within the party as he turned to public attacks against Republicans who did not fit his ultra-conservative image or supported his extreme tactics similar to those of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The fight reflects a national split in the GOP between more traditional Republicans and a more combative wing made up of politicians like Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

It also shows the challenges facing such extreme politics in Colorado. Opposition to Williams’ methods grew when the party under his leadership supported certain Republican candidates over others in the primaries, a practice the state’s parties usually avoid, at least publicly.

Williams has also been accused of using state party resources to finance his own failed congressional primary and has been criticized for refusing to step down as party chairman after entering the primary race. Emails and posts from the party attacking the LGBTQ community, including a call to burn LGBT flags, also drew disappointment from some Republicans.

The growing resistance reached its peak in Saturday’s vote, in which a majority of the approximately 180 members of the state party’s central committee or their representatives present voted for his overthrow.

In a press release, Colorado Republicans called the meeting a “farce” and said the majority of the more than 400 committee members were not present. Williams said they could only request the firing of officials at the upcoming Aug. 31 meeting.

“This fringe minority group knows they cannot impose their will in a fair session where the rules are fairly implemented,” Williams said in a text message.

The conflict revolves around the interpretation of the statute, and the decision could end up in the hands of the Republican National Committee. The National Republican Congressional Committee, which works to elect Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives, said it would recognize the vote and the newly elected leadership.

In a text, Williams said the NRCC “has no authority to do anything.”

While serving as Republican chairman, Williams ran in a Republican primary for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Colorado Springs, about an hour’s drive south of Denver. Although he won Trump’s attention and eventually his support, he lost to a more moderate Republican.

Bedayn is a member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-reported issues.