(CBS) — Joe Biden has won the South Carolina primary, CBS News projects based on exit polls. CBS News estimates the former vice president has a big lead over his campaign rivals, according to interviews conducted at the polls on Saturday.
Bernie Sanders is in second place, according to CBS News projections. Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Tulsi Gabbard have so far not met the threshold to win any delegates, and according to CBS News projections, they are not on pace to win any delegates.
Biden’s much-needed win comes after disappointing finishes in the first three early voting states.
This week, the former vice president won the key endorsement of South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn, the third-highest ranking Democrat in the House and one of the most powerful forces in South Carolina politics. His nod did not go unnoticed by voters: 47% of voters said the endorsement was important to them, compared to 38% who said it was not.
Biden had long considered South Carolina his “firewall,” but some polls – including a CBS News Battleground Tracker on February 23 – had shown that lead shrinking after the early state losses.
