Digital Roundtable: CCFP editors weigh in on the primary results

Joseph Patton and Josh Carples have appeared as election analysts for WAUD Radio in Auburn and on “First Call with Kevin Elkins” on WLWI 1440 in Montgomery. 

  The Democratic and Republican parties held their respective primaries June 1 to select candidates as their nominees for the November general election. Roughly a third of registered voters in Alabama participated. The run-off election for both parties - which will consist of races in which no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote - will be held July 13.

Democrat primary for governor:

  Joseph Patton: I was thoroughly surprised that Sparks won by such a margin. I was anticipating a cliff-hanger that might go through the night. I can't help but believe Davis' plan to make himself seem more independent by openly snubbing the state's largest, most influential black political organizations created a backlash that cost him some votes here, especially when he had polled so far ahead through most of this contest. How much of a role do you think that played in this?

  Josh Carples: It’s really hard for me to speculate the amount of votes those decisions lost for Davis. I’m sure some people took that into consideration, but on the other hand, there may have been some that voted for him because of those stances as well, especially if they thought it made him appear more independent.