Deborah Barfield Berry and Ledyard King – USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – Taking the stage after his landslide victory in South Carolina, Joe Biden hugged his longtime friend Rep. James Clyburn, who gave the former vice president a coveted endorsement three days before the state’s primary.

“You brought me back,” a beaming Biden told Clyburn, the House majority whip and highest-ranking African American in Congress, whom he addressed as “my buddy.”

It was no exaggeration. Clyburn is a landmark figure in a state where roughly 60% of all Democratic voters are black.

Exit polls indicated that nearly half – 47% – of Democratic primary voters in South Carolina said Clyburn’s endorsement was an important factor in their vote. Moreover, 24% said it was the most important factor.

Clyburn told USA TODAY that the prospect of a second term for President Donald Trump made him “fearful” for the future.

“Everybody says a win is a win and, that’s true,’’ Clyburn said in the interview on the eve of the primary Friday. “But I would love to see a win substantial enough to create an image of a surge or good narratives coming out.”

 

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