H. Guy Hunt
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Harold Guy Hunt (born June 17, 1933 in Holly Pond, Alabama) is an American politician who served two terms as the Governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to serve as governor of the state in over a hundred years.
Prior to being elected as governor, Hunt was an ordained Primitive Baptist minister, served in the Korean War, and worked as a salesman for Amway. At the time of his election, Hunt had a high school diploma but no college education.
The 1986 Democratic primary for the gubernatorial race saw then Alabama attorney general Charles Graddick in a runoff with then Lt. Gov. Bill Baxley. Graddick won by a few thousand votes, but the state Supreme Court ruled he had violated primary regulations by encouraging Republicans to “cross over” and vote as Democrats. The court told the Democratic Party to hold another election or pick Baxley. The party picked Baxley.
Alabamians, used to a one-party state where anybody and everybody could vote in a primary, were outraged and took out their frustrations by voting against Baxley and for Hunt, the GOP nominee. Alabama got its first Republican governor since Reconstruction.
Hunt's election surprised many Alabamians since no living person had seen a Republican win the election for Alabama governor. The press paid little attention to the Republican gubenatorial primaries, fully expecting that the nominee would be the next loser in the general election.
Hunt was removed from office on April 22, 1993 because of his conviction for violating state ethics laws; specifically, for using campaign and inaugural funds to pay personal debts. Democratic Lieutenant Governor James E. Folsom, Jr. assumed the office of governor the same day.
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| Preceded by: George Wallace | Governor of Alabama 1987–1993 | Succeeded by: James E. Folsom Jr. |