Biden projected to win his first ever presidential primary in South Carolina

It's taken former Vice President Joe Biden 33 years and three separate shots at the Democratic nomination, but he's finally won a Democratic presidential primary. Biden has been projected by multiple outlets to win Saturday's South Carolina Democratic presidential primary almost immediately after polls closed at 7 p.m. E.T.

With almost 90 percent of the votes accounted for, Biden has reeled in 48.4 percent of the electorate, well ahead of Sanders who comes in at 19.9 percent. Billionaire Tom Steyer is in third with 12 percent. Biden, so far, is the only candidate with any pledged delegates at 14.

The state was considered a crucial one for the vice president, who faded in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary before finishing a distant second to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the Nevada caucuses earlier this month. Biden's campaign considered South Carolina the candidate's firewall, so the victory looks like it will serve as a much needed boost going into Super Tuesday.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Exit polls are showing that Biden's win was reportedly strongly aided by African American voters and voters aged 45 and older.

This is a developing story and will be updated.