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Cramer said that he subsequently urged Kirk to merge his own organization into the regular party structure in Cramer's home county of Pinellas, but  Kirk maintained a separate entity in the hope of maximizing crossover support from conservative Democrats unhappy with the nomination of Mayor High. Cramer recalled this disagreement over strategy as the "first indication that Kirk intended to do his own thing and attempt to form his own organization."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 408.</ref>

Cramer said that he subsequently urged Kirk to merge his own organization into the regular party structure in Cramer's home county of Pinellas, but  Kirk maintained a separate entity in the hope of maximizing crossover support from conservative Democrats unhappy with the nomination of Mayor High. Cramer recalled this disagreement over strategy as the "first indication that Kirk intended to do his own thing and attempt to form his own organization."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 408.</ref>

   

   

Kirk asked the representative and later Senator [[Edward Gurney]] of Winter Park to chair Kirk's gubernatorial inauguration though Gurney had not been involved in the Kirk campaign. By contrast, Cramer was not even asked to serve on the inaugural committee. In 1968, Governor Kirk dispatched his staff to the Republican state convention in [[Orlando]] to push for Cramer's ouster as the state's [[Republican National Committee]]man. Kirk justified his move against Cramer: "I wanted my own man. After all, I was the leader of the party. If Cramer had been the leader of the party, he would have wanted his own man too."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk, p. 409.</ref> Cramer said that Kirk was attempting to be "not only the governor but the king of the party, and I was about the only person at the time who stood in his way from taking total control."<ref name="Cramer v. Kirk," p. 409.</ref>

Kirk asked the representative and later Senator [[Edward Gurney]] of Winter Park to chair Kirk's gubernatorial inauguration though Gurney had not been involved in the Kirk campaign. By contrast, Cramer was not even asked to serve on the inaugural committee. In 1968, Governor Kirk dispatched his staff to the Republican state convention in [[Orlando]] to push for Cramer's ouster as the state's [[Republican National Committee]]man. Kirk justified his move against Cramer: "I wanted my own man. After all, I was the leader of the party. If Cramer had been the leader of the party, he would have wanted his own man too."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk, p. 409.</ref> Cramer said that Kirk was attempting to be "not only the governor but the king of the party, and I was about the only person at the time who stood in his way from taking total control."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 409.</ref>

   

   

Despite Kirk's opposition, Cramer attributed his retention in 1968 as national committeeman to the loyalty of organizational Republicans: "I had proved myself an effective congressman. I was on the House leadership as vice chairman of the Republican Conference and was ranking member on the House Public Works Committee."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 409.</ref.

Despite Kirk's opposition, Cramer attributed his retention in 1968 as national committeeman to the loyalty of organizational Republicans: "I had proved myself an effective congressman. I was on the House leadership as vice chairman of the Republican Conference and was ranking member on the House Public Works Committee."<ref>"Cramer v. Kirk," p. 409.</ref.