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In 1966, Kirk scored a huge upset in the gubernatorial general election against the Democrat Robert King High (1924-1967), a [[Tennessee]] native who was then the[[liberal]] [[mayor]] of [[Miami]], 55 to 45 percent. High had unseated incumbent governor William Haydon Burns (1912-1987), a [[Conservative Democrat]], in the primary. , Kirk won majorities in 56 of the state's 67 counties.<ref>State of Florida, General election returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>Had High won the race, he would have served as governor for only eight months because he died less than a year after the election.

In 1966, Kirk scored a huge upset in the gubernatorial general election against the Democrat Robert King High (1924-1967), a [[Tennessee]] native who was then the[[liberal]] [[mayor]] of [[Miami]], 55 to 45 percent. High had unseated incumbent governor William Haydon Burns (1912-1987), a [[Conservative Democrat]], in the primary. , Kirk won majorities in 56 of the state's 67 counties.<ref>State of Florida, General election returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>Had High won the race, he would have served as governor for only eight months because he died less than a year after the election.

Kirk benefited from Burns' refusal to support High. Upon taking the oath of office on January 3, 1967, he became the state's first Republican governor since 1877. During his term, a new Florida Constitution went into effect in 1968. Kirk was frequently at loggerheads over issues of taxes with  both Democrat and Republican legislators. He earned the nickname ''Claudius Maximus'' because of his brash, acerbic style of leadership.<ref name=OBIT>Bauerlein, David: [http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2011-09-28/story/former-florida-governor-claude-kirk-dies "Former Florida governor Claude Kirk dies"] ''Florida Times-Union," September 28, 2011.</ref> A significant event of his tenure was a controversial statewide teachers' strike in 1968.

Kirk benefited from Burns' refusal to support High. Upon taking the oath of office on January 3, 1967, he became the state's first Republican governor since 1877. During his term, a new Florida Constitution went into effect in 1968. Kirk was frequently at loggerheads over issues of taxes with  both Democrat and Republican legislators. He earned the nickname ''Claudius Maximus'' because of his brash, acerbic style of leadership.<ref name=OBIT>David Bauerlein, David, "Former Florida governor Claude Kirk dies," ''Florida Times-Union," September 28, 2011.</ref> A significant event of his tenure was a controversial statewide teachers' strike in 1968.

Kirk was a strong supporter of [[capital punishment]] in contrast to former Governors Thomas LeRoy Collins (1909-1991), Cecil Farris Bryant (1914-2002(, and Haydon Burns. If elected, Kirk said that executions would resume, but there were no executions under Kirk's tenure because of an informal nationwide moratorium on capital punishment. When he visited the Florida State Prison in Bradford County and shook hand with several inmates facing executions. If elected, Kirk told the inmates, "I may have to sign your death warrants."<ref>Michael Mello, ''Deathwork: Defending the Condemned'' ([[St. Paul (City)|St. Paul]]: the [[University of Minnesota]] Press, 2002), {{ISBN|0-8166-4088-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8166-4088-1}}</ref>

Kirk was a strong supporter of [[capital punishment]] in contrast to former Governors Thomas LeRoy Collins (1909-1991), Cecil Farris Bryant (1914-2002(, and Haydon Burns. If elected, Kirk said that executions would resume, but there were no executions under Kirk's tenure because of an informal nationwide moratorium on capital punishment. When he visited the Florida State Prison in Bradford County and shook hand with several inmates facing executions. If elected, Kirk told the inmates, "I may have to sign your death warrants."<ref>Michael Mello, ''Deathwork: Defending the Condemned'' ([[St. Paul (City)|St. Paul]]: the [[University of Minnesota]] Press, 2002), {{ISBN|0-8166-4088-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8166-4088-1}}</ref>