Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., told reporters Monday he is deciding among three Democratic presidential candidates for whom to give his support in his state’s primary February 29.
But pundits and pols who spoke to Newsmax almost unanimously agreed that Clyburn — the House majority whip and easily the most influential of black Democrats in the Palmetto State — will give his blessing to Joe Biden.
Moreover, all agreed that if Biden fails to place first in the primary Saturday, his campaign for president will be finished.
“Jim is going to be critical as to whether Biden folds or goes on to ‘Super Tuesday,’” one veteran political operative from South Carolina told us, “Jim’s influence and contacts made possible Barack Obama’s 2-to-1 win over Hillary Clinton [in the 2008 Democratic primary].”
“Jim is one of the most savvy and pragmatic politicians I have observed,” retired U.S. Court of Claims Judge John L. Napier, who represented large parts of what are now Clyburn’s district from 1981-82, told Newsmax, “He thinks and acts strategically. He has not said who he will support, but I would be surprised if it is not Biden. If so, it should give Biden a significant boost. Jim’s endorsement is the Gold Standard for Democrats in a South Carolina presidential primary.”
The latest CBS/YouGov poll gave Biden a 28 to 23 percent lead among likely voters in the primary, followed by billionaire Tom Steyer with 18 percent. Steyer, who has so far not broken into double-digits in earlier state contests, has spent millions in South Carolina and his foundation has announced some grants.
Rounding out the poll are Elizabeth Warren (12 percent), Pete Buttigieg (10 percent) and Amy Klobuchar (4 per cent). Mike Bloomberg will not be on the South Carolina ballot.
The poll has a margin or error +/- 5.5 percentage points.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.