Joe Biden’s South Carolina Win May Not Mean Super Tuesday Success

A week ago, Joe Biden’s campaign looked like it might be on death’s door.

On Saturday, February 22, the day of the Nevada caucuses, his lead in South Carolina had shrunk to 2.3 points in the RealClearPolitics average of polls. But Biden’s second-place finish in Nevada, Tuesday’s debate in South Carolina, and Wednesday’s endorsement of Biden by Jim Clyburn — the influential 14-term South Carolina congressman and House majority whip — all made one thing clear: The former vice president was the only viable alternative to Bernie Sanders in the first-in-the-South primary. In the final RCP polling average of South Carolina, Biden led Sanders by 15 points. His margin of victory was nearly twice as large on Saturday.

About the Author

John McCormack

John McCormack is a former Washington correspondent for National Review and was a fellow at the National Review Institute.

Featured Tags

A week ago, Joe Biden’s campaign looked like it might be on death’s door.

On Saturday, February 22, the day of the Nevada caucuses, his lead in South Carolina had shrunk to 2.3 points in the RealClearPolitics average of polls. But Biden’s second-place finish in Nevada, Tuesday’s debate in South Carolina, and Wednesday’s endorsement of Biden by Jim Clyburn — the influential 14-term South Carolina congressman and House majority whip — all made one thing clear: The former vice president was the only viable alternative to Bernie Sanders in the first-in-the-South primary. In the final RCP polling average of South Carolina, Biden led Sanders by 15 points. His margin of victory was nearly twice as large on Saturday.