U.S. Rep. Artur Davis maybe thought he was going to be the first African-American governor of Alabama, maybe thought that winning the state’s Democratic primary would be a cake walk, maybe thought he could turn his back on the people and principles that got him his US House seat, because he could, because folks would support him, because he was out to make history.

Well, as the Associated Press reports this morning, Mr Davis got swamped in the Democratic primary by Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks 62 percent to 38 percent, with 96 percent of the precincts reporting. The state’s traditional civil rights organizations backed Sparks after Davis voted against President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul. Mr. Sparks supported the positions popular with the state's Democrats, including supporting the federal health care plan.

Mr Davis must have forgotten that he had to win his primary first, before he could advance to the general election. He must have thought he could take the African-American vote for granted, and could start acting like a Republican early, in order to win statewide in Alabama. In all counts, he was wrong. Best hopes to Mr. Sparks.