2016 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary

{{see also|Democratic Party presidential debates, 2016}}

Rachel Maddow was selected to moderate the First in the South Candidates Forum with Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley, which was held at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on November 6, co-sponsored by the Democratic Parties of 13 southern states.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article38085903.html|title=MSNBC's Rachel Maddow to moderate 2016 Democratic forum at Winthrop|work=The State|date=October 7, 2015}} The forum was not in debate format; instead, each candidate was interviewed individually and sequentially.{{cite web|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article42974280.html|title=MSNBC's Rachel Maddow will bring Southern focus to forum |work=Charlotte Observer|date=November 4, 2015}} Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb were also invited, but their campaigns never responded to the invitations,{{cite web|url=http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/politics/2015/10/07/sc-dems-host-clinton-sanders-omalley/73509772/ |title=S.C. Democrats to host three presidential candidates in Rock Hill |website=Greenvilleonline.com |date=2015-10-07 |access-date=2016-01-17}} and both have since withdrawn from the race. A Public Policy Poll of South Carolina Democratic voters conducted from November 7–8, after the forum, discovered that 67% of viewers thought Clinton won the forum, 16% thought Sanders won, and 6% thought O'Malley won, with 11% unsure.{{cite web|title = Three Republican candidates speak at anti-gay pastor's rally|url = https://msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/anti-gay-pastor-event-hosts-3-gop-candidates-563178051820|website = MSNBC|access-date = 2015-11-23}}

{{main article|Fourth Democratic Party presidential debate, January 2016 in Charleston, South Carolina}}

On January 17, 2016, the Democratic Party held a fourth debate at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Hosted by Lester Holt and Andrea Mitchell, the debate aired on NBC News and was streamed on YouTube. It was also sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus. It was notable as being the final debate before the start of precinct caucuses and primary voting. Participants were Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O'Malley. It was the final debate appearance of O'Malley, who suspended his campaign on February 1.

Both before and after the debate, commentators said the debate was focused on Sanders and his voting record on gun control and slights against President Obama, among other issues. During the debate, O'Malley interrupted to take 30 seconds to talk about "homeland security and preparedness".{{Cite news|title = The 4th Democratic debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/17/the-4th-democratic-debate-transcript-annotated-who-said-what-and-what-it-meant/|newspaper = The Washington Post|date = 2016-01-17|access-date = 2016-01-18|issn = 0190-8286|language = en-US|first = Team|last = Fix}} Also during the debate, Clinton and Sanders had some back-and-forth exchanges to define themselves on Wall Street, foreign policy, and gun control.

{{see also|Statewide opinion polling for the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016}}

Delegate count: 53 Pledged, 6 Unpledged

Winner: 14px Hillary Clinton

Primary date: 27 February 2016

{{South Carolina Democratic primary polls, 2016}}

{{2016SCDem}}

Clinton won every county.{{cite web| url = http://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/south-carolina| title = South Carolina Election Results 2016: President Live Map by County, Real-Time Voting Updates - POLITICO}}

Delegates[http://scdp.org/2016-state-convention-election-results/ The South Carolina Democratic Party - State Election Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026152054/http://scdp.org/2016-state-convention-election-results/ |date=October 26, 2017 }}

As South Carolina's majority-black Democratic electorate had dealt a severe death-blow to Clinton's 2008 presidential effort against Barack Obama, it gave her campaign new life in 2016. Clinton won the primary in a 47-point routing thanks to ardent support from African American voters. According to exit polls, Clinton won the black vote 86–14, which comprised 61% of the Democratic electorate in South Carolina; she won among black women 89-11 who comprised 37% of the electorate. Clinton's near-unanimous support from black voters was fueled by their interest in a continuation of President Obama's policies,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/politics/south-carolina-primary.html|title=Hillary Clinton Wins South Carolina Primary|last1=Chozick|first1=Amy|date=2016-02-27|last2=Healy|first2=Patrick|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-10-18}} and by black women who wanted to see a woman elected.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/us/black-women-join-south-carolina-fight-to-send-a-woman-to-the-white-house.html|title=For Black Women in South Carolina, It's Clinton's Turn|last=Hannah-jones|first=Nikole|date=2016-02-26|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-10-18}}

Clinton won every county statewide. She won in upcountry 66–34, Piedmont 74–25, Central South Carolina, including the region which is majority African American 78–22, Pee dee/Waccamaw 83–17, and lowcountry 70–30.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/election/primaries/polls/sc/Dem|title=2016 Election Center|website=CNN|access-date=2016-10-18}} She also swept the major cities of Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Rock Hill.

{{reflist|30em}}

{{2016 Democratic primaries}}

South Carolina

Democratic primary

2016