Slade Mead

Slade Mead is a former Arizona State Senator and is Republican turned Democrat.

His eldest daughter, Lindsay, is a special needs child with a rare form of epilepsy, a severe seizure disorder.

Mead managed to defeat Daniels in the Republican primary, and took her senate seat for District 20.

Mead eventually sided with the Democrats, citing a lack of funding for public education.

This event resulted in Mead's exile from the party, and in 2004 State Representative John Huppenthal challenged him in the primary.