Biden nets landslide victory in South Carolina Democratic main, over 95% of votes

President Joe Biden gained a landslide victory in South Carolina’s Democratic primary 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 forged, 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 recent momentum into Biden’s reelection marketing campaign, and it presents a compelling rebuttal to the narrative that Democratic voters are ambivalent — or worse — about their social gathering’s customary bearer.

“In 2020, it was the voters of South Carolina who proved the pundits wrong, breathed new life into our campaign, and set us on the path to winning the Presidency,” Biden mentioned in an announcement following Saturday’s outcomes.

“Now in 2024, the people of South Carolina have spoken again and I have no doubt that you have set us on the path to winning the Presidency again — and making Donald Trump a loser — again.”

Biden will probably be awarded all 55 of the state’s Democratic delegates, NBC Information tasks, 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. 

However it got here amid reports of decrease than anticipated turnout, probably an indication of weakened enthusiasm for Biden amongst Democrats. 

In 2020, roughly 16% of the state’s 3.3 million registered voters forged ballots within the Democratic main. On Saturday, that quantity dropped to roughly 4% of voters.

Specifically, polls have shown Biden’s help 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 voters in South Carolina, so his victory there Saturday may assist to ease a few of these issues. 

Biden’s marketing campaign has additionally been below strain to point out momentum, an actual problem this 12 months provided that Democrats’ official main season kicked off late. 

In Iowa, the Democratic social gathering determined to not forged any ballots at their caucuses, denying Biden the possibility 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 tug off an upset in her house state, towards former President Donald Trump.

The GOP main is anticipated to garner a lot increased turnout and extra consideration than Saturday’s vote.

Not like the Republican battle, the Democratic main has, thus far, been notable for its civility.

“Congratulations, Mr. President, on a good old fashioned whooping,” Phillips wrote on X.