Takeaways from the SC primary: Joementum
SC provided Joe Biden with a lifeline he desperately needed, propelled by the energy of the black vote, but his victory will not necessarily provide clarity to the race.
Both Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar finished well behind Biden, nevertheless they are still likely to compete in Super Tuesday states. They could draw sufficient of the vote to deny Biden the numbers he needs to make the case for a one-on-one competition with Sen. Bernie Sanders.
And if indeed they don't, the bigger question for Biden is how he fares against Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire former NY mayor, who has spent more than $500 million and you will be on the ballot for the very first time Tuesday.
Other takeaways from the South Carolina primary:
BIDEN MUST BROADEN HIS APPEAL
The win in SC was the first primary victory for Biden in his three presidential campaigns. Super Tuesday will prove whether it signals a resurgence, where party leaders make an effort to coalesce around him, or a mirage. Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe endorsed Biden after Saturday's results.
Biden demonstrated his oft-stated appeal to black voters, who historically play a decisive role in deciding the Democratic nominee. Now he'll need to show that he can broaden that appeal to college-educated suburban women who've been the fulcrum for Democrats in recent elections.
The former vice president has still got a long way to go.
SANDERS HOPES SECOND IS A BLIP
For just one brief moment after his commanding Nevada win, Sanders thought he could win SC.
Instead, he showed the limits of his progressive appeal in the South. Nevertheless, you can win the Democratic nomination without winning the South, and Sanders really wants to show how on Super Tuesday. He includes a commanding lead in polls for the largest prize on the map, California, and is competitive atlanta divorce attorneys state.
Sanders' schedule shows his confidence - he has campaigned in Massachusetts and can happen to be Minnesota on Sunday and Monday, trying to win the house states of rivals Warren and Klobuchar.
But he won't be getting a pass, especially from Bloomberg, who has argued that Sanders' democratic socialism is a loser for Democrats in November.
While Biden is hoping South Carolina puts wind in his sails, Sanders just has to hope the existing breeze keeps blowing.
CHECK, PLEASE?
At some point in the nominating process, they stop offering participation trophies. Klobuchar, Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have yet to prove they can win with diverse coalitions of the Democratic Party.
Now all three will be under varying levels of pressure to consider dropping out. Among the three, Warren gets the most money and organization, however, not necessarily the better rationale for residing in the race given the strength of Sanders, the leading progressive.
None of the three has displayed any notable appeal to African American voters, plus they do not have enough time or the resources to focus their campaigns more narrowly with an eye on just winning some delegates to keep up leverage.
Then there may be the other billionaire in the race, Tom Steyer, who also ran well behind Biden and Sanders, despite spending a lot more than $20 million in the state.
WILL BLOOMBERG'S MONEY EQUAL RESULTS?
A couple of hours before polls closed in SC, Bloomberg announced he was buying three-minute advertisings on two television set networks Sunday night. And that may follow an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes."
Bloomberg hasn't been a factor yet in the first states - he sat them out and only an audacious strategy that he could fill the moderate lane if Biden faltered, by spending vast sums on advertisings in Super Tuesday states.
It's a theory of the case that's never happened at this degree of presidential politics. In fact it is going to be tested. If Bloomberg doesn't prevail and merely fragments the moderate vote, which will be to Sanders' benefit.
At the same time, Bloomberg has to make an effort to get over his disastrous debut on the debate stage in NEVADA another, still rough, session at the SC debate last Tuesday. The Biden resurgence may drown out his hoped-for position as the most sensible alternative to Sanders.
WITH ONE VOICE, FOR ONCE
For once, self-described moderate and conservative Democrats spoke with something resembling a unified voice. This group has constantly been nearly all voters in previous contests, only to dilute their vote by splitting it among candidates.
But in SC, preliminary results from AP VoteCast found a good share of moderate and conservative voters - about 50 % - went for Biden. Only 1 in 10 backed Buttigieg or Klobuchar.
Still, the survey also hints at the possibility of Sanders, who has dominated among liberals, having some crossover appeal. Among moderates and conservatives, 14% voted for the self-described socialist.
