Today is primary day in Alabama, and it looks like Gov. Bob Riley is in very good shape for re-election. It didn't look that way a year ago. Many thought that he would face a competitive primary challenge from his right, but that threat never materialized. What has helped him out a lot is the strong economy in Alabama. This year, he managed to pass a large tax cut for lower and middle income earners. That should go a long way in securing his re-election. At the beginning of his term, it looked like he would have a hard time getting re-elected. Elected by only 3,000 votes in 2002, Riley sought to close the budget deficit and pay for more education funding by enacting an enhanced tax system that would have raised taxes for all income earners. The proposal was never passed and Riley came out with a reputation as a tax hiker. But a strong economy can change a lot.

The Democrats have a competitive primary. Lieutenant Gov. Lucy Baxley is running against indicted former Gov. Don Siegelmann. The former governor has some support, and can score an upset despite the racketeering charges which he's facing. He claims that the charges are politically motivated. Baxley will likely win the primary though; Siegelmann has been distracted over the past few weeks with the ongoing case against him and hasn't been able to campaign much. She's a strong general election candidate, but Riley will be tough to beat this year.