Sanders targets black voters in South Carolina

By BEATRICE PETERSON
Jan 27, 2019, 8:11 AM ET

Sen. Bernie Sanders' visit to South Carolina -– a state where African-Americans make up nearly 30 percent of the population –- was a signal to some in the Palmetto State that he intends to target black voters.

In speeches at churches, community centers and colleges, Sanders reminded voters repeatedly about his civil rights upbringing, having marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington as a college student.

“What he’s doing in South Carolina points to what his strategy is in terms of he has to make inroads in the core Democratic constituency,” said J. Michael Bitzer a professor of politics and history at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Bitzer, who has studied southern politics extensively, said when it comes to race “you cannot divorce race from politics in the South.”

According to exit polls in the state, Sanders won roughly 14 percent of black voters in South Carolina. Hillary Clinton, however, won 86 percent of the black vote in the state.

Minority voters will play a significant role in determining the next Democratic nominee in 2020.

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