In South Carolina’s Democratic Presidential Primary, the first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds Hillary Clinton leading with 38% of the vote among Likely Democratic Primary Voters. Barack Obama attracts 30% of the vote while John Edwards is a distant third at 13%. Joe Biden earns 3% and Bill Richardson 2%.

Clinton, the frontrunner in national polls, also leads in the New Hampshire and Florida primaries.

In South Carolina, among voters under 40, Obama has the advantage over Clinton. Clinton though, leads by seventeen percentage points among the 40+ crowd.

Among black voters, Clinton and Obama are even while Edwards support is virtually non-existent. However, among white voters, the picture looks entirely different--Clinton is on top while Edwards has twice the support of Obama.

Among South Carolina’s liberal Primary voters, Clinton leads Obama by three. Among moderate and conservative voters, Clinton has a fifteen point advantage.

Clinton is viewed favorably by 82% of Likely Primary voters, including 46% who have a Very Favorable opinion of the former First Lady. Fifteen percent (15%) have an unfavorable view.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of South Carolina’s primary voters have a favorable opinion of Obama while 22% say the opposite.

For South Carolina native John Edwards, the numbers are a bit weaker—65% favorable and 31% unfavorable.

The Republican Presidential Primary in South Carolina is even more competitive.

Rasmussen Reports has recently released general election polls for Ohio, Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Arkansas.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll is updated daily by noon Eastern.

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