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Evan Mecham

This guy ran for Governor of Arizona five times before winning a 1986 three-way race with only 40% of the vote.

A millionaire Pontiac dealer, Evan created controversy as soon as he took office. One of his first acts was to rescind the state holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

This decision had serious economic repercussions. Many corporations and organizations declared a boycott against Arizona, causing convention business to dry up.

Evan wasn't exactly the most open-minded guy. He refused to disavow a textbook edited by his mentor, W. Cleon Skousen, which called black children "pickaninnies." Evan said he thought the derogatory remark was a term of affection. Yeah, just like I call you chowderhead because I like clams.

Skousen's book also said slaveholders were as oppressed as their slaves. Oh, sure, you have so much responsibility when you're the management. Like, you can't go out on the town because the field hands might sneak out of their pen.

But Evan didn't limit his insults to just blacks. He blamed working women for high divorce rates. He also denigrated gays, Asians, Latinos -- you name them, he dissed them.

So a recall effort was begun to kick him out of office. It was only a year after he won that 390,000 signatures were collected to call for a new election. Evan attacked his opponents, calling them "homosexual activists."

Ed Buck, the 33-year-old Republican who led the petition drive, came right back at him, saying, "Yeah, I'm homosexual. So what?" His brave response won so much respect that Phoenix bankers and lawyers started wearing pink lapel buttons that said "heterosexual activist."

Then, Evan's people circulated a bumper sticker that read "Queer Ed Buck's Recall." This created an even greater backlash. Then Evan sent out a letter asking conservatives in other states to move to Arizona so they could support him. This just made folks even madder.

Evan's finances were also messy, which got him in more trouble. He had to testify before an Arizona grand jury on charges that he violated campaign finance laws. This led leaders in the House and Senate, both controlled by his own party, to bring an impeachment case against him.

After only 15 months in office, Evan was booted out. It didn't last long, but it sure got folks talking.