Clinton easily wins South Carolina primary

Hillary Clinton won today’s Democratic presidential primary in South Carolina in the first of what many predict will be a series of victories for her in Southern states.

With fewer than 1 percent of precincts reporting, it was clear the former secretary of state dominated. News outlets began calling the primary for Clinton as soon as the polls closed.

African-American voters propelled Clinton to victory with 8 in 10 choosing her over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Clinton also won with most of the women over age 30 who voted, according to early exit polls.

“To South Carolina, to the volunteers at the heart of our campaign, to the supporters who power it: thank you,” Clinton wrote on Twitter. At a victory party in Columbia, supporters broke into raucous cheers as the race was called in Clinton’s favor.

Expecting defeat Saturday in South Carolina, Sanders spent part of the day in Austin, Texas, gathering support ahead of the primary there Tuesday. With 222 delegates to the Democratic National Convention, Texas is the biggest prize up for grabs in next week’s Super Tuesday primaries.

Sanders consoled his supporters by reminding them he won a “decisive victory” in New Hampshire and saying his “grassroots political revolution is growing state by state,” and he “won’t stop now.”

For the latest presidential primary results, visit WORLD’s Election Center ’16.