H. Guy Hunt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
H. Guy Hunt
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| 49th Governor of Alabama | |
| In office January 19, 1987 – April 22, 1993 |
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| Lieutenant | Jim Folsom Jr. |
| Preceded by | George Wallace |
| Succeeded by | Jim Folsom Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Harold Guy Hunt
June 17, 1933 Holly Pond, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | January 30, 2009 (aged 75) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Helen Chambers
(m. 1951; died 2004)Anne Smith
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Pastor, farmer, politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1951–1955 |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
Harold Guy Hunt (born June 17, 1933 – died January 30, 2009) was an American politician. He served as the 49th governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to be governor of Alabama since the Reconstruction era, which ended over 100 years before his election.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Guy Hunt was born on June 17, 1933, in Holly Pond, Alabama. His parents were William Otto and Frances Holcombe Hunt. From a young age, Hunt was involved with the Mt. Vernon Primitive Baptist Church. This church became very important in his life.
At 17, Hunt married Helen Chambers on February 25, 1951. They had four children. His family continued to work on their farm.
During the Korean War, Hunt served in the U.S. Army. He earned awards for his excellent military service. After his time in the army, Hunt returned to his family farm. He later became a minister in the Primitive Baptist Church.
Guy Hunt's Political Journey
Hunt was active in the Republican Party even when the Democrats were mostly in charge of Alabama. He first tried to win an election in 1962 for the Alabama Senate, but he did not win.
In 1964, he was elected as a probate judge for Cullman County. A probate judge handles things like wills, estates, and some local records. That year, many people voted for Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. Hunt was one of several Republicans who won office during this time. He became the youngest probate judge in Alabama. He was reelected in 1970 and served two terms.
Hunt also led Ronald Reagan's presidential campaigns in Alabama in 1976 and 1980. He also led Alabama's Republican group at the national conventions in those years.
In 1978, Hunt ran for governor as the Republican candidate. However, he lost to the Democrat Fob James.
Election as Governor of Alabama
After Ronald Reagan became president in 1980, he appointed Hunt to a state agricultural position. Hunt left this job in 1985 to run for governor again. At first, many people did not think he had a good chance to win.
During the Democratic primary election, there was a disagreement about who won. This made many Alabamians upset. They decided to vote for Hunt instead. In November, Hunt won the election by a large number of votes. His win surprised many people because the last Republican governor had been in office over 100 years earlier.
Hunt was reelected in 1990, though it was a close race. His election is seen as the start of the Republican Party becoming stronger in Alabama. Since his time, only two Democrats have been governor.
As governor, Hunt worked to change some state laws. He also tried to bring more businesses and tourists to Alabama. However, he faced a lot of disagreement from the state legislature.
Images for kids
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Guy Hunt in 1978
