U.S. President Joe Biden reacts as he attends the opening of the Biden for President marketing campaign workplace in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., February 3, 2024.
Joshua Roberts | Reuters
President Joe Biden gained a landslide victory in South Carolina’s Democratic main Saturday, the place voters despatched a transparent message that they’re prepared for Biden to pivot to the November election.
As of 12:00 a.m. ET, Sunday, Biden had gained 96.2% of ballots solid, with 97% of the overall votes tallied.
The opposite two Democrats on the poll, Home Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and self-help creator and 2020 Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson every gained round 2% of ballots.
The win injects contemporary momentum into Biden’s reelection marketing campaign, and it provides a compelling rebuttal to the narrative that Democratic voters are ambivalent — or worse — about their social gathering’s normal bearer.
“In 2020, it was the voters of South Carolina who proved the pundits fallacious, breathed new life into our marketing campaign, and set us on the trail to successful the Presidency,” Biden mentioned in a press release following Saturday’s outcomes.
“Now in 2024, the individuals of South Carolina have spoken once more and I’ve little question that you’ve set us on the trail to successful the Presidency once more — and making Donald Trump a loser — once more.”
Biden will probably be awarded all 55 of the state’s Democratic delegates, NBC Information initiatives, as neither Williamson nor Phillips broke the 15% threshold for being awarded any delegates.
Biden’s overwhelming margin of victory left no query about who Democratic voters wish to be on the poll in November.
Nevertheless it got here amid experiences of decrease than anticipated turnout, doubtlessly an indication of weakened enthusiasm for Biden amongst Democrats.
In 2020, roughly 16% of the state’s 3.3 million registered voters solid ballots within the Democratic main. On Saturday, that quantity dropped to roughly 4% of voters.
Specifically, polls have proven Biden’s assist lagging amongst Black voters, a core Democratic social gathering bloc that was key to his 2020 win.
Black voters account for a majority of the Democratic citizens in South Carolina, so his victory there Saturday may assist to ease a few of these considerations.
Biden’s marketing campaign has additionally been beneath strain to indicate momentum, an actual problem this yr provided that Democrats’ official main season kicked off late.
In Iowa, the Democratic social gathering determined to not solid any ballots at their caucuses, denying Biden the prospect to win there.
In New Hampshire, Biden’s title was not on the formal poll, however he gained the competition as a write-in candidate with 64% of the vote.
Republicans will vote of their social gathering main on Feb. 24, the place former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will try to drag off an upset in her house state, towards former President Donald Trump.
The GOP main is predicted to garner a lot larger turnout and extra consideration than Saturday’s vote.
Not like the Republican battle, the Democratic main has, up to now, been notable for its civility.
“Congratulations, Mr. President, on quaint whooping,” Phillips wrote on X.
