Asked during this week’s debate in Charleston, South Carolina if he would drop out if he doesn’t win the primary there, former Vice President Joe Biden was blunt.

“I will win South Carolina,” Biden said.

Asked again after the debate if he could carry on if he doesn’t win South Carolina, Biden was equally declarative.

“I’m gonna win South Carolina,” Biden said, and then for those who might not have heard, he reiterated, “I’m gonna win South Carolina.”

No one has more riding on South Carolina than Biden. Biden led for nearly a year in national polls for the Democratic presidential nomination and by big margins in South Carolina. After disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, Biden collapsed nationally and margins tightened in South Carolina.

In the last week, Biden’s lead has rebounded in South Carolina, as fears of a potential Bernie Sanders nomination are hitting fever pitch among establishment Democrats. In South Carolina, black voters are crucial, and Biden had one of his best debate performances of the cycle Tuesday night. Then, the next morning, he got the endorsement of popular longtime South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn.

Joe Biden’s Campaign Is On The Line In South Carolina

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