Colorado Republican leaders vote to remove GOP Chair Dave Williams

Colorado Republicans have voted to remove GOP Party Chair Dave Williams by a vote of 161.66 to 12 on Saturday.

More than 100 Republican leaders across Colorado had previously signed a petition aimed at removing their state party chairman from his position.

Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer tweeted "We will be getting a new chair of the State GOP!" after the vote.

The move comes after Williams sent an email attacking gay pride month and referring to the LGBTQ community as "godless groomers," He also called for the burning of all pride flags on social media.

It isn't the first time Williams, a state representative whose district includes El Paso County, has come under fire but, for many Republicans, it was the last straw.

Since he took over as GOP chair, Williams has attacked Republicans who don't meet his purity test, waded into GOP primaries in violation of party bylaws and used state party resources to support his own campaign for Congress.

Williams says those who sign the petition are "weak establishment Republicans" who are "waging civil war." He says he won't apologize even if it means losing his position.

He lost his primary bid for Colorado's 5th Congressional District against Jeff Crank in June.

"Instead of focusing on what unites us, under the leadership of Dave Williams the message from the State GOP has been one of division fueled by hateful narratives," Kirkmeyer said in June. "It is past time to part ways with Dave Williams. His tactics are undermining our ability to lift up Colorado."

Williams did not respond to a request for comment Saturday, nor did the Colorado GOP.