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| S.C. Democrats head to the polls; Clinton, Sanders head out of state | S.C. Democrats head to the polls; Clinton, Sanders head out of state |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| CHARLESTON, S.C. — Democrats are still voting in South Carolina, but the Democratic candidates were already moving beyond this state on Saturday — both literally and figuratively — as a victory seems nearly certain for former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. | CHARLESTON, S.C. — Democrats are still voting in South Carolina, but the Democratic candidates were already moving beyond this state on Saturday — both literally and figuratively — as a victory seems nearly certain for former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. |
| In South Carolina itself, Clinton sent surrogates including Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) — the top-ranking black Democrat in the House — to polling places to make one last pitch. In many places, it seemed that the voters didn’t need it: Black voters, seen as key to Clinton’s victory here, praised her long experience in Washington. | In South Carolina itself, Clinton sent surrogates including Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) — the top-ranking black Democrat in the House — to polling places to make one last pitch. In many places, it seemed that the voters didn’t need it: Black voters, seen as key to Clinton’s victory here, praised her long experience in Washington. |
| “We’ve made a lot of progress in the last eight years, and Hillary is the best person out there to continue the progress,” said Al Tucker, a 67-year-old African American in Columbia. “You look at South Carolina, and we’re at the bottom in anything you can think of: education, poverty. I think Hillary would be good because she’s going to look out for us.” | |
| But Clinton had already left the state, planning to return only for Saturday night’s party. Clinton had changed plans to visit Alabama, and shifted her focus to another key contest three days ahead. | |
| “I need your help on Tuesday,” Clinton told a supporter at the Urban Standard coffee shop in Birmingham. Alabama is one of 12 states where Democrats will vote on Super Tuesday next week, and black voters there will also be key to Clinton’s success. | “I need your help on Tuesday,” Clinton told a supporter at the Urban Standard coffee shop in Birmingham. Alabama is one of 12 states where Democrats will vote on Super Tuesday next week, and black voters there will also be key to Clinton’s success. |
| Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Clinton’s main rival, also left South Carolina early on Saturday to speak to crowds in two other Super Tuesday states, Texas and Minnesota. | Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Clinton’s main rival, also left South Carolina early on Saturday to speak to crowds in two other Super Tuesday states, Texas and Minnesota. |
| But unlike Clinton, he did not plan to return to the Palmetto State. In fact, when polls close in South Carolina — at the moment when the race might be called for Clinton — Sanders did not even plan to be on the ground. His itinerary calls for him to be in the air — on a plane with no Internet access — at the time the polls close. It wasn’t clear Saturday how or when Sanders might acknowledge the South Carolina results. | But unlike Clinton, he did not plan to return to the Palmetto State. In fact, when polls close in South Carolina — at the moment when the race might be called for Clinton — Sanders did not even plan to be on the ground. His itinerary calls for him to be in the air — on a plane with no Internet access — at the time the polls close. It wasn’t clear Saturday how or when Sanders might acknowledge the South Carolina results. |
| [What happens when Hillary Clinton crashes a bachelor party? She’s in the photos.] | [What happens when Hillary Clinton crashes a bachelor party? She’s in the photos.] |
| Sanders had hoped to make inroads in South Carolina, to demonstrate that he could undermine Clinton’s “firewall” of Southern states with large populations of black Democrats. | Sanders had hoped to make inroads in South Carolina, to demonstrate that he could undermine Clinton’s “firewall” of Southern states with large populations of black Democrats. |
| But that didn’t happen: Recent polls showed him 25 or more points down here. And in Texas, where Sanders drew more than 10,000 people at a rally in Austin, he did not mention South Carolina’s primary at all. | But that didn’t happen: Recent polls showed him 25 or more points down here. And in Texas, where Sanders drew more than 10,000 people at a rally in Austin, he did not mention South Carolina’s primary at all. |
| Instead, Sanders recounted the more successful parts of his upstart challenge to Clinton: his near-tie in Iowa, his big win in New Hampshire and his come-from-behind 5-point loss in Nevada. | Instead, Sanders recounted the more successful parts of his upstart challenge to Clinton: his near-tie in Iowa, his big win in New Hampshire and his come-from-behind 5-point loss in Nevada. |
| “And now, we come to Super Tuesday,” he said, predicting a big turnout in Texas. | |
| For Clinton, a big victory in South Carolina would reestablish her as the presumptive Democratic front-runner. And it could be a favorable sign going into Super Tuesday, when six of 11 Democratic contests will take place in Southern states with large populations of black voters. | |
| [Sanders unloads on Clinton during raucous speech in Chicago] | [Sanders unloads on Clinton during raucous speech in Chicago] |
| Sanders is looking ahead to contests in which he has a greater chance of winning — and a chance, he says, to hang onto the momentum and enthusiasm that his strong liberal message has generated in this unusual election year. | Sanders is looking ahead to contests in which he has a greater chance of winning — and a chance, he says, to hang onto the momentum and enthusiasm that his strong liberal message has generated in this unusual election year. |
| He has said he is prepared for a drawn-out battle for the Democratic nomination. But Super Tuesday could test whether voters will let Sanders go that far. | |
| He will win his home state of Vermont, of course. But Sanders is also hoping for victories in such states as Oklahoma and Massachusetts, where polls show Clinton may be more beatable. Sanders also seems to believe that he has a chance of success in Texas, given his campaign schedule there Saturday. But recent polls have shown him down significantly. | He will win his home state of Vermont, of course. But Sanders is also hoping for victories in such states as Oklahoma and Massachusetts, where polls show Clinton may be more beatable. Sanders also seems to believe that he has a chance of success in Texas, given his campaign schedule there Saturday. But recent polls have shown him down significantly. |
| In South Carolina, it seemed that Sanders’s efforts had not been nearly enough to overcome Clinton’s long connections here — which stretch back to her husband’s first run for the presidency in 1992. | In South Carolina, it seemed that Sanders’s efforts had not been nearly enough to overcome Clinton’s long connections here — which stretch back to her husband’s first run for the presidency in 1992. |
| “She’s far and away the most qualified, but she has some real issues,” said Roger Blau, 70, of Columbia, who voted for Clinton. “She’s very intelligent, very qualified, very experienced. But I don’t know if she’ll get a lot done with a Republican congress.” | “She’s far and away the most qualified, but she has some real issues,” said Roger Blau, 70, of Columbia, who voted for Clinton. “She’s very intelligent, very qualified, very experienced. But I don’t know if she’ll get a lot done with a Republican congress.” |
| At Shandon Baptist Church in Forest Acres, S.C., 96-year-old Harriet Pooley had come to vote for Hillary. She said she was ready for a change in Washington. | At Shandon Baptist Church in Forest Acres, S.C., 96-year-old Harriet Pooley had come to vote for Hillary. She said she was ready for a change in Washington. |
| “I voted for Hillary because I want women power, and I want the women to take over,” Pooley said. “The men have made a mess. It’s about time we took over.” | “I voted for Hillary because I want women power, and I want the women to take over,” Pooley said. “The men have made a mess. It’s about time we took over.” |
| Still, some cast their ballots for Sanders. | Still, some cast their ballots for Sanders. |
| “He sees drastic change, and I don’t see anybody else seeing that,” said Amber Lee, 28, at the Sims Park neighborhood center, where voters were scarce but decidedly for Sanders. “I see my father, and he’s been a staunch Republican all his life. And Bernie is saying what he’s saying, only differently. And that’s what I agree with — let people do what they want to do and give them the means to do it. And that’s what I think Bernie’s trying to do.” | “He sees drastic change, and I don’t see anybody else seeing that,” said Amber Lee, 28, at the Sims Park neighborhood center, where voters were scarce but decidedly for Sanders. “I see my father, and he’s been a staunch Republican all his life. And Bernie is saying what he’s saying, only differently. And that’s what I agree with — let people do what they want to do and give them the means to do it. And that’s what I think Bernie’s trying to do.” |
| John Mucklebauer, 46, is an English professor at the University of South Carolina, so Sanders’s stance on higher education affordability hits home: “He’s someone who actually cares about education and wants people to have access to it.” | John Mucklebauer, 46, is an English professor at the University of South Carolina, so Sanders’s stance on higher education affordability hits home: “He’s someone who actually cares about education and wants people to have access to it.” |
| And Emily Drucker, 28, said she supports Sanders because: “He sounds like how I feel. He seems uncorrupted.” | And Emily Drucker, 28, said she supports Sanders because: “He sounds like how I feel. He seems uncorrupted.” |
| Anne Gearan and Hannah Jeffrey in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report. | Anne Gearan and Hannah Jeffrey in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report. |