Framing the Alabama Democratic Primary Results

You have two candidates running in a Democratic gubernatorial primary in Alabama. One runs clearly to the right of the other. The more left-wing candidate wins, handily.

You have two candidates running in a Democratic gubernatorial primary in Alabama. One is white. The other is black. The white candidate wins, handily.

You have two candidates running in a Democratic gubernatorial primary in Alabama. One is white, and runs to the left. The other is black, and runs to the right. The white, more left-wing candidate wins, handily.

You have two candidates running in a Democratic gubernatorial primary in Alabama. One is white, runs to the left, and seeks the endorsement of the black establishment. The other is black, runs to the right, and specifically courts white votes. The white, more left-wing candidate wins, handily, with an exceptional percentage of the black vote and the overwhelming majority of the white vote.

Is this a story about how, even in Alabama, there’s a left-wing surge against the establishment that is the counterpart to the “Tea Party” insurgency on the right (see, e.g., Senatorial primary contests in Pennsylvania, Arkansas)?

Or is this a story about how the black establishment punishes candidates who don’t seek their endorsement and approval?

Or is this a story about how black voters (even in Alabama) are more ideological and less identity-politics focused than is often assumed by white commentators, perfectly willing to vote for a white candidate who talks their issues over a black candidate who doesn’t?

Or is this a story about how Alabama white voters won’t vote for a black candidate even when he courts them in an explicitly post-racial manner, preferring a white candidate who is more left-wing?

Or is this just a story about a guy who had a lousy organization losing to a guy who had a better one?

Anybody know more about the race than I could learn here or here or here?