Joe Biden Lands In L.A. For Campaign Visit; POTUS Easily Wins South Carolina Primary — Update

UPDATE: President Joe Biden arrived in Los Angeles this afternoon as part of a campaign swing.

As the results overwhelming came in for the incumbent in the South Carolina Democratic primary this evening, the first stop for Biden out on the West Coast is a campaign meeting in Bel Air, according to a White House pool report.

A source said that the meeting was at the home of George Lucas. Before the Star Wars creator bought the house in 2017, the residence was owned by H. Ross Perot Jr. and before that, by Freddy DeMann, the producer and music executive who was the co-founder of Maverick Records, according to Variety’s reports on the real estate transactions.

Lucas’ wife, Mellody Hobson, has been a major donor to Biden’s re-election campaign. Her contributions include $125,000 to the Biden Action Fund, a joint fundraising committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

While at that gathering, Biden issued a statement after his easy victory in South Carolina, where he garnered more than 95% of the vote according to the latest count.

“In 2020, it was the voters of South Carolina who proved the pundits wrong, breathed new life into our campaign, and set us on the path to winning the Presidency,” Biden said as projections had him winning nearly 98% of the vote

“Now in 2024, the people of South Carolina have spoken again and I have no doubt that you have set us on the path to winning the Presidency again — and making Donald Trump a loser — again.”

Leaving town for campaign events in Las Vegas tomorrow afternoon, Biden will not be making an surprise drop-in at the Grammys. Some sources said that family time would be part of the president’s visit. Biden’s son Hunter lives in Malibu.

First Lady Jill Biden, who also was on the trip, went to Paramount Studios this evening to speak at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala. The non-profit works on getting businesses to devote 15% of their space to Black-owned brands.

PREVIOUSLY: President Joe Biden was projected to easily win the South Carolina Democratic primary tonight.

NewsNation declared him the winner shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m. ET. Although Biden’s victory was all but assured, the state holds symbolic value for Biden, as his victory there in 2020 marked a turning point in his campaign for the nomination.

This cycle, Biden faces nominal opposition from Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Marianne Williamson. But Phillips in particular has sought to make enough of a showing to send a message over misgivings about Biden seeking another term, given his age. That said, Phillips lost handily to Biden in New Hampshire last week, with the president’s supporters waging a write-in campaign because his name was not on the ballot.

The president and First Lady JIll Biden landed in Los Angeles this afternoon for a short visit that includes a POTUS campaign meeting with Black leaders in the entertainment industry. He will fly to Las Vegas on Sunday for a campaign event, in advance of that state’s primary on Tuesday.