I think there is going to be a recount in the primary. Bentley and James are just too close to each other for there not to be.
As for the 5th I just have one word of caution.
Roughly 70,000 votes were cast in the Republican primary, which was roughly 20,000 more than the 50,000 cast in the Democratic primary. It looks good in theory but theres just one problem.
In Madison County, roughly 39,000 of 52,000 votes (75%) were cast in the Republican Primary. That percentage is roughly equal to the white population of the county. Madison County in no way goes 75% Republican in general elections meaning many white Democrats in Madison crossed party lines probably for this race and the sheriff’s race.
More significantly though, roughly 55% of all the Republican primary votes came from Madison (and I assume if you add Morgan and Limestone that almost covers the Republican vote)
By contrast, if you subtract Madison from the equation in District 5, 37,000 voters outside of Madison County chose the Dem primary while 31,000 chose the Rep primary.
Brooks can certainly win but he can’t let Raby paint him as the candidate of a certain Mountain Brook like neighborhood in Huntsville (and Madison, etc). If he does Raby could defeat him. He is a long time political veteran in the region and has run campaigns in both parties.
I was noticing Steve Raby has a moustache and goatee while Mo Brooks is clean-shaven. FReeper Auh2orepublican has a theory that clean-shaven candidates have an advantage over the facially hirsute. Personally, I have no bias in that direction, since I also have a moustache and goatee... ;-)