Left in Alabama explains what’s up in Alabama following Rep. Artur Davis’ vote against the House health care reform bill on Saturday night.

Politicization of this issue was inevitable. Candidates are always looking to make news and how better than to glom onto a topic that’s already making headlines? Even Alabama’s Republican gubernatorial candidates are talking about health care reform though none of them is currently in a position to do anything about it. It’s a bit different on the Democratic side, where one candidate, Rep. Artur Davis, has both a voice and a vote in the current legislative process and one, Ag. Commissioner Ron Sparks, doesn’t.

As you may recall, Davis voted against the health care reform bill in the House last Saturday night. Sparks is attempting to make him pay a political price for that vote, at least in the Democratic primary…

According to Sparks, “The healthcare vote was a defining moment for our country and those entrusted to represent our best interests, and Artur Davis has failed the people of Alabama miserably.” Ouch. For its part, the Davis campaign has fired back that Ron Sparks is a political opportunist, asking “which Ron Sparks is for real, the man who assured business leaders he was opposed to the House health care legislation or the Sparks who warmly endorsed the bill on the day of the vote?”

The bottom line from Left in Alabama? “Davis has been rock solid in a position most of us don’t like. Sparks’ statements, on the other hand, do lack consistency.”

Ha, fun times in Alabama; gotta love primaries! In all seriousness, though, it’s great to see a Democrat – even if he’s an opportunist who’s not sure where he “will be on a given issue from one day to the next” – jumping on the public option bandwagon as a path to success politically. To me, that means that we’re winning this fight and that even politicians can see it.