Joe Biden secures victory in South Carolina primary, eyes 2024 US Presidential polls

President Joe Biden cruised to victory in South Carolina's primary Saturday, boosting his hopes of beating Donald Trump in November 2024 US Presidential polls, according to Edison Research projections.

Biden defeated Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson on South Carolina's ballot.

Four years ago, it was South Carolina's Black vote in the state's primary that helped ignite his campaign and ultimately propel him to the White House.

There were fears that South Carolina's heavily Black electorate might not be energized this time around, there also were doubts about his age and concerns about high consumer prices and security along the US-Mexican border.

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However, the vote was being closely watched amid concerns about his popularity, especially with Black voters.

South Carolina is reliably Republican, but 26% of its residents are Black. In the 2020 general election, Black voters made up 11% of the national electorate, and 9 in 10 of them supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of that election’s voters.

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Biden was aided by South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, whose 2020 endorsement served as a long-awaited signal to the state’s Black voters that Biden would be the right candidate to advocate for their interests.

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Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and Asian American to serve in the role, have consistently thanked the state’s Democrats for their support. Biden a week ago told attendees at a state party fundraiser that “you’re the reason I am president.” He also argued to an audience of hundreds of party faithful that they were “the reason Donald Trump is a loser. And you’re the reason we’re going to win and beat him again,” framing the likely general election matchup with the GOP’s current front-runner.

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Last month, Biden won the New Hampshire primary as a write-in candidate with a 44-point lead over Phillips, his closest competitor.