Alabama congressman who opposed healthcare law loses gubernatorial primary

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A congressman seeking to become Alabama’s first black governor lost to a white Democratic primary opponent who had garnered support from the state’s four major black political groups.

With 58% of the precincts reporting, Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks won the Democratic primary with 65% of the vote to Rep. Artur Davis’ 35%.

The state’s traditional civil rights organizations backed Sparks after Davis voted against Obama’s federal healthcare overhaul. But Davis, a Harvard lawyer who led President Obama’s Alabama campaign in 2008, had endorsements from Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights pioneer from Alabama, and Mobile’s first black mayor, Sam Jones.

The chairman of the black Alabama Democratic Conference, Joe Reed, said Davis was hurt by refusing to seek the endorsements of African American groups and by voting against the federal healthcare plan.

Seven GOP candidates for governor were competing in their party’s primary Tuesday, and the top vote-getters were expected to go to a runoff on July 13.

Meanwhile, Alabama’s four-term Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby easily beat his primary challenger, ‘tea party’ activist N.C. “Clint” Moser.

Shelby was drawing more than 80% of the vote in the unofficial count Tuesday evening. Shelby, 76, is favored to beat Democratic nominee Bill Barnes, a Birmingham lawyer.

-- Associated Press