Biden gets the South Carolina victory he wanted

President Joe Biden cruised to victory in the first sanctioned presidential primary Saturday night.

Biden easily beat out nominal challenges from Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and self-help author Marianne Williamson in a state that he placed atop the primary calendar and where he scored a crucial victory during his 2020 campaign.

Biden’s victory in South Carolina brings the campaign one step closer to the general election, which is expected to be one of the longest and most expensive in American political history. The Republican presidential primary in South Carolina will be held Feb. 24. Former President Donald Trump is the heavy favorite in that race.