Energizing South Carolina’s Black voters is crucial to Biden as campaign looks ahead to swing states

By AYANNA ALEXANDER
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden got his first test of the 2024 campaign during the Democrats’ first presidential primary. Saturday’s contest in South Carolina held no surprises, since Biden faces only token opposition. What was most important for the Biden campaign was the level of support he received from Black voters, a dynamic that has implications far beyond South Carolina. Biden will need to find ways to energize Black voters in the key swing states of Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as his support from that group has plummeted since his first year in office. Interviews with more than a dozen Black voters in the state showed general support for Biden, but also some caution signs.