By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa AL – Political analysts say yesterday's primary outcome was nothing out of the ordinary for Alabama voters, who overwhelmingly voted in favor of a constitutional ban on gay marriage, and overwhelmingly against a string of candidates from the religious right. UAB Pollster Larry Powell says he thinks voters became suspicious of Roy Moore and the candidates he was supporting for Republican nominations to the Alabama Supreme Court because it may have appeared they were using religion for political advancement. Powell also says it is morally consistent for voters to reject a candidate for that reason, but still support the gay marriage ban. David Lanoue of the University of Alabama says he thinks many voters also didn't like Moore disobeying a court order, and promising to support similar actions. Lanoue says Moore refusal to remove his monument to the Ten Commandments from the state Judicial Building in 2003 was embarrassing to the state.