Barack Obama Decisively Wins South Carolina Democratic Primary

January 27, 2008 -- Senator Barack Obama claimed a major victory in the South Carolina Democratic primary yesterday. With 99% of precincts reporting, Obama has won 55% of the votes. Senator Hillary Clinton picked up 27%, while John Edwards, who was born in South Carolina and had counted on a solid performance there to bolster his now sagging campaign, received 18%.

According to CNN exit polls, Obama won an equal number of male and female votes (54%); youth voters skewed sharply to Obama, with Clinton winning a majority of voters 65 and older. All other age groups went for Obama.

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A large majority of black voters of all age groups opted for Barack Obama, with Hillary Clinton winning a majority solely in the non-black 60+ demographic.

According to various news reports, the Clinton campaign may have been hurt by the recent negatively it has exhibited; the efforts of former president Bill Clinton on Hillary's behalf have also been termed by many pundits as potentially counterproductive.

With the South Carolina primary results, Barack Obama and Hillary have now each won two primary contests.

Tuesday's Florida primary is next, although it is largely symbolic: due to Florida's violation of party rules regarding the timing of the primary, no delegates will be awarded.