The Alabama Democratic Party has a rule, barring candidates from running in its primary if during the last four years they supported another political party. On November 18, a state court upheld the rule, in a lawsuit filed by former Democratic Congressman Artur Davis. Davis wants to run as a Democrat in 2016 for Montgomery County Commission. However, in 2012 he endorsed Mitt Romney for President.
Alabama state and federal courts have consistently upheld the ability of the Democratic and Republican Parties to bar candidates from their own primaries based on the candidates’ past political behavior. See this story, which has a link to the decision, Artur v Alabama Democratic Party, cv-2015-901698, Montgomery County. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
This behavior by Alabama Democrats goes way back. In 1930 the Alabama Democratic Party refused to let Sen. Thomas Heflin run for re-election in its primary because he supported Herbert Hoover (Republican) for President in 1928, objecting to Al Smith as a Catholic.
Sen. Heflin challenged the election of his successor, and sought a Senate vote to seat him (Heflin) instead. The opposition to seating Heflin was led by Senator John Blaine of Wisconsin, a Republican who backed Al Smith in 1928.
The suit law shows Davis Artur suing Worley Nancy, but not the Party Democratic Alabama.