Biden seeks momentum boost in South Carolina

President Biden is once again betting big on South Carolina.

Mr. Biden hopes to give momentum to the Palmetto State, which became a driving force in the race for the Democratic nomination in 2020, and to inspire Democrats, while a rematch with former President Trump is expected in the general election. I'm paying attention to that.

He visited South Carolina on Saturday and will spend much of his time there in the lead-up to the Feb. 3 primary, strengthening his support for Black voters and others whose support will be needed in November. ing.

South Carolina is not expected to be a competitive state in the general election, but it could give his campaign the momentum it has been missing. And it's symbolic for him after his primary bid was reversed in 2020 with an endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn (D.C.), leading him to victory in the White House. It has a meaning.

In an interview with The Hill, Clyburn said Biden's strong performance in next month's South Carolina primary will increase enthusiasm for the Democratic Party.

“Now people are starting to focus on things and I really believe that by the time we get to the primary on the 3rd.”^rdI think it's going to be a good turnout and I think Joe Biden will outperform New Hampshire,” the South Carolina senator said.

Biden spearheaded a move to make South Carolina a first-ballot state to promote more diverse voices in early Democratic primaries, a move that was controversial and drew backlash from Democrats in New Hampshire at the time. It led to

“We're electing a president, and I think what South Carolina voters appreciate about Joe Biden is his loyalty to the state,” said Anfang, a Democratic strategist and close friend of Clyburn.・Mr. Seawright said.

South Carolina has one of the highest percentages of black voters in the country, and mobilizing them will be essential to energizing Democrats heading into November. But Biden has experienced declining support from black voters.

A poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College in November found that 22% of black voters in six battleground states said they supported Trump, the highest number for a Republican presidential candidate in half a century. It is a percentage.

Jim Kessler, co-founder of the center-left think tank Third Way, said Biden's first task for re-election will be to solidify support from the voters who put him in the White House in the first place. Ta. That includes black voters, women voters, and young voters.

The Biden campaign is focusing its full attention this week on its expected general election battle with Trump, who won the New Hampshire primary by an 11 percentage point margin, according to election results from Decision Desk Headquarters. suggested.

The campaign has intentionally reached out to minority communities in swing states and states like South Carolina.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Friday announced a six-figure ad campaign targeting minority voters in Nevada and South Carolina to emphasize voting rights and student loan forgiveness.

“People are out there, knocking on doors. To get people to vote for your candidate, you have to be people who understand that culture,” Clyburn said. . “We need people from these communities.”

The president and other government officials have repeatedly visited South Carolina.

Mr. Biden recently traveled to South Carolina to speak at Mother Emanuel Church, highlighting the threat Mr. Trump poses to individual liberties and highlighting the former president's election denialism, which some in the South have compared to the Civil War. equated it with refusing to accept defeat.

During the same trip, the president sought to highlight how his administration has especially supported Black Americans, pointing to legislation to lower prescription drug costs and historic investments in historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

“During this campaign, he visited South Carolina for the first time and visited Mother Emanuel, which was a very significant visit. I think this is a very important visit,” Seawright said. Told. “What happens to the other side's campaign is that Trumpism will be on the ballot, regardless of who ultimately wins.”

“And key elements of that are racism, bigotry, white supremacy and white nationalism, and Christian white nationalism,” he added.

First lady Jill Biden visited South Carolina on Friday for her first campaign visit of 2024. She headlined a special South Carolina educator event for Biden vs. Harris in Columbia.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited South Carolina in November to get Biden's name on the primary ballot and returned to the state this month for Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic), a leading surrogate for Mr. Biden, made a rare personal visit to South Carolina this week, highlighting the Democratic Party's focus on the state ahead of the February 3 primary. was further highlighted.

Mr. Biden is expected to easily defeat his challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), in the primary, but concerns about the president's re-election campaign remain in the lead-up to the general election, and he is expected to move into South Carolina. emphasis is placed on

And Republicans are also eyeing the Palmetto State. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is still participating in the Republican primary and shows no signs of dropping out before the race. President Trump appears to be considering South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (Republican) as his running mate after he endorsed him.

But Clyburn said he was not concerned that Scott, as Trump's running mate, would steal black voters away from Biden.

“I think African-Americans in this country are starting to look at people more harshly and it’s becoming more than just the color of their skin,” he said. “Both Tim Scott and Donald Trump oppose the Affordable Care Act. They both oppose the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. They both oppose what I call the Social Security amendment. They're both against Medicare and Medicaid.”

The lawmaker added, “I don't care about the color of the person's skin on the ticket. I want to hear their vision for the future of this country.”

And he expressed optimism that voters, especially Black voters and voters in South Carolina, would vote for Biden again.

“[Biden] He remained true to his commitment to the American people,” Clyburn said. “He kept his promise to South Carolina, to the African American community.”