What to Expect in Saturday's South Carolina Primary

Voting in South Carolina's Democratic primary Saturday wraps up at 7pm, and if the polls are correct, you can expect the race to be called soon after: Hillary Clinton is expected to be the easy winner, reports USA Today. What really matters is the margin of victory given the demographics involved, reports CNN. "If she wins in a blowout, Clinton can expect a big Super Tuesday," writes Eric Bradner. "If she just ekes out a win, that would be more troubling for her campaign." The reason? Clinton dominates Sanders among African-American voters, and they make up a large portion of the electorate not only in South Carolina but in several states voting on Tuesday, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

The New York Times notes that these same voters opted for Barack Obama in 2008, making Saturday's vote a key test in whether Clinton has won them back. Polling suggests she has, and Politico observes that in South Carolina, "Clinton is finally the candidate she always wanted to be." It collects this quote to illustrate why her candidacy is resonating among black women in particular: “She’s dealt with African-Americans,” says one retiree working as a campaign volunteer. “She knows the struggle. She knows what poverty is. It’s not like someone who just come in our lives who tells us these big ideals. Her mother’s story resonates. I’m raising a granddaughter right now, my daughter is in her life now but she’s not wanted. I know the hurt and the pain they go through.” (More South Carolina primary stories.)