Biden easily wins first official Democratic primary in South Carolina

President Biden was on track to win Saturday’s South Carolina Democratic primary, according to Decision Desk Headquarters, and was expected to deliver a decisive victory in the highly-stakes state.

Biden’s victory came after he endorsed an unprecedented move to make South Carolina a first-ballot state over New Hampshire as part of an effort to promote more diverse voices in the early Democratic primaries. .

Biden won the New Hampshire primary in January through a write-in campaign launched by his supporters, but he never received actual delegates from the state because the Democratic Party had not formally sanctioned the race. Ta. His victory in South Carolina would therefore be his first official primary victory.

Expectations for Biden were high in the Palmetto State. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D.C.), one of the president’s most important allies in Congress, said Mr. Biden’s success would translate into at least “70 percent” turnout. According to the New York Times.

“We’re hoping that 150,000 people will vote, but out of 150,000 to 200,000 people, we’re hoping that Joe Biden will get 70, 75 percent of that,” Clyburn told the outlet. Told.

Biden’s victory shows that the energy he has focused on the nation is paying off. Although South Carolina likely won’t be a battleground state in the general election, his victory could give Democrats a boost heading into November. Mr. Biden visited South Carolina twice in January, sending First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Harris to the state to rally voters.

In addition, Democratic primary challengers such as Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and author Marianne Williamson have criticized Biden over the enthusiasm of his supporters and lingering issues such as age and approval ratings. further weakened the argument.

South Carolina was a key state for Biden in 2020, and focusing on it during his first term seemed like a way to give back to the state’s voters who helped him win the nomination. His campaign was thought to be all but over until he won the South Carolina primary with the pivotal support of Congressman Jim Clyburn (D.C.).

The Democratic Party’s victory over Biden in South Carolina provides momentum for the general election against his likely opponent, former President Trump. This is the president’s second victory this primary season, following last month’s victory in New Hampshire due to a unique write-in initiative.

In a hypothetical head-to-head race, Mr. Trump leads Mr. Biden by 2.2 percentage points, according to a tally of polls kept by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill.