Many said they felt she was the best candidate to carry on the legacy of the country’s first black president. The feeling among many black voters was summed up by Charleston resident Paceta Powell on Saturday, who said, "It's Hillary's turn now.”
African Americans weren't Hillary's only backers. Women, including younger women, also backed Hillary:
Six in 10 South Carolina primary voters were women, and 8 in 10 of them said they voted for Clinton. She was also supported by about 7 in 10 men.
...Clinton ate into Sanders' advantage among young voters. Although he was supported by a slim majority of primary voters under 30, she was supported by about three-quarters of those between the ages of 30 and 44, as well as 8 in 10 of those 45 and older.
Clinton won a majority of women under 45, a group that backed Sanders in the previous contests. This time around, they divided the vote among women under 30, but 8 in 10 of those between age 30 and 44 said they voted for Clinton.
Super Tuesday, with voters in 11 states and 1 territory going to their primaries or caucuses, is just around the corner. Hillary said last night:
"Tomorrow, this campaign goes national!" Clinton said to big applause Saturday night in Columbia. "We are going to compete for every vote in every state. We are not taking anything and we're not taking anyone for granted."
Who else supported Hillary?
Clinton won the support of majorities of liberals, moderates and conservatives in Saturday's contest. Eight in 10 primary voters said they were Democrats, and 8 in 10 of them were Clinton voters. Among independents, a slim majority backed Sanders.
...Nearly 9 in 10 primary voters Saturday said they prefer a candidate with political experience to an outsider, and 8 in 10 of those voters said they supported Clinton.
The results in South Carolina (73.5% for Hillary to 26% for Sanders)are expected to repeat in other southern states. Where does that leave Bernie Sanders? If not in the dust, certainly not in the driver's seat.
Sanders has never run for national office as a Democrat before. Once it's obvious he can't win, he ought to drop out or run as a third party candidate. There's something particularly unbecoming about a candidate who has never embraced the Democratic party standing in the way of the party's overwhelmingly preferred candidate.