By Valencia Mohammed
AFRO Staff Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Illinois Sen. Barack Obama crushed political rivals in the first southern Democratic primary, giving his campaign a huge boost as he and his challengers head into “Super Tuesday” on February 5th, when 22 states hold primaries.
Obama won with 55 percent of the vote, compared to 27 percent for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and 18 percent for John Edwards, according to exit polls.
"….I did not see a Black or White South Carolina,” he said. “I saw South Carolina.”
Obama won about 80 percent of the Black vote and attracted about one of every four White voters, based on exit polls.
In a rousing victory party before hundreds Saturday night, Obama told supporters that campaign has attracted the most diverse group of voters.
“As I traveled throughout this state observing the conditions of people who yearned for improvements and a new direction, I did not see a Black or White South Carolina,” he said. “I saw South Carolina.”
Obama’s supporters interrupted his victory speech with changes of "Yes, we can!" and "Race doesn't matter!"
During the South Carolina campaign, tension grew between Obama and Clinton after a heated debate on and statements about Obama by former President Bill Clinton, the husband of the candidate.
Some political analysts’ say Clinton’s tactic may have backfired, sending more African-American voters into Obama’s camp. About a week before the primary, Black voters were nearly evenly split between the two.
Obama and Clinton have now split the first four contests of the campaign, with Obama winning Iowa and Clinton taking Nevada and New Hampshire. The candidates face the possibility of a conflict that could stretch into March or even April.
According to polls, Clinton holds leads in the two largest Feb. 5 primaries, California and Texas, but Obama leads in Illinois, another big state.