And, the results are in. Yesterday’s primaries produced few surprises and both parties can claim some victories. Here’s a look at who won what and why, and what it means for the general election.
AL GOV: As expected, incumbent GOP Gov. Bob Riley trounced former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, 67 percent to 33 percent. Moore proved to be a better candidate in theory than in practice. He was a poor fundraiser and never broadened his platform beyond taxes and the Ten Commandments.
On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley easily defeated former Gov. Don Siegelman, 60 percent to 36 percent, ending Siegelman’s hopes for a rematch with Riley. Siegelman’s ongoing trial clearly hurt him as polls showed a clear drop in his support once the proceedings began.
Looking to November, Riley starts this race with the advantage. A University of South Alabama poll (April 22-27 of 407 likely voters) showed Riley ahead of Baxley, 49 percent to 33 percent. A more recent survey, a University of Alabama-Birmingham poll for the Birmingham News (May 29-June 1
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