Sparks gets Democrat nominations, GOP tied

Published 9:59 pm Tuesday, June 1, 2010

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s agriculture commissioner overwhelmed a congressman trying to become the first black to win Alabama’s Democratic nomination for governor, while four candidates ran a close race for the Republican nomination.

With 58 percent of the precincts reporting, Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks won with 65 prcent to U.S. Rep. Artur Davis’s 35 percent.

In the crowded Republican field, former two-year college chancellor Bradley Byrne, Greenville developer Tim James and Tuscaloosa physician Robert Bentley are tied at 26 percent each. Former Chief Justice Roy Moore is polling 20 percent.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The top two in the GOP fight will advance to a runoff July 13.