Major Democratic Party Donor Says It Is ‘Critical’ For Joe Biden To Win South Carolina

Former Vice President Joe Biden held on to his lead in nationwide opinion polling for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries for nearly a year, but everything collapsed once he finished fourth in Iowa. Biden came in fifth in New Hampshire and does not seem to be favored to win Nevada.

In order to stay in the race, generate support and acquire donations necessary to keep his campaign running, Biden must perform well in South Carolina, according to Alan Patricof. In an interview with The Washington Examiner, Patricof — a venture capitalist and Democratic Party mega-donor — said that it is “critical” for Biden to win South Carolina.

“Everybody’s sticking with Joe until they see what happens there,” he said, adding that Biden will need significant donor support in order to perform well on Super Tuesday when 14 states and Democrats Abroad will hold primaries.

Furthermore, according to Patricof, billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s decision to enter the primary race appears to have complicated matters for Biden. Bloomberg, the donor suggested, could siphon potential supporters away from the former vice president.

“The kind of people who would be supportive to Mike are the same people who would be supportive to Biden, I believe. In the end, the voters are what counts.”

Earlier this week, Biden attended two fundraisers in New York City, reassuring his wealthy donors that “things look good” for his campaign. Biden, who leads the polls in South Carolina, promised the donors to win a number of states in the South and in the Midwest.

“I will win Pennsylvania, I promise you. I will win Michigan, I promise you. I will win those Midwest states, as well as right now they have me winning in Georgia, Texas, Florida, North Carolina,” Biden said.

Biden has managed to hold on to his lead in South Carolina — mainly thanks to the support he enjoys among older Democrats — but much of it has melted away. According to the latest polling, the former vice is starting to lose momentum in the Palmetto State, with Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders starting to catch up to him.

On the heels of Biden’s fourth-place finish in Iowa caucuses, reports emerged that the former vice president’s campaign is not in good financial shape and that it is canceling ad buys in multiple states. Those that have donated to Biden are reportedly open to backing other moderate candidates in the race, such as South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.