Sen. John Edwards Wins South Carolina Primary

With nearly 50 percent of the votes counted, Sen. John Edwards is the projected winner of the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary.

Edwards told supporters in Columbia Tuesday night that his win shows everything is possible in America. He said he wants to work to build one America that works for everybody

Edwards dominated among voters who called the economy their biggest concern, according to exit polls for The Associated Press.

He also scored well among whites, older people, the less-educated and voters who called themselves moderate or conservative.

Edwards split the black vote with Sen. John Kerry, despite the Massachusetts senator's high-profile endorsement from Sixth District Congressman Jim Clyburn, the state's most influential black politician. Kerry is projected to finish in second place.

Rev. Al Sharpton is running third, with retired Gen. Wesley Clark, former governor Howard Dean, Sen. Joe Lieberman and Rep. Dennis Kucinich behind him.

Polls for South Carolina's Democratic presidential primary opened Tuesday morning under overcast skies and amid chilly weather. Some precincts reported light to moderate turnout.

Democratic Party officials hoped voters would flock to the polls after the party dropped a voter oath requirement just hours before the primary. The oath would have required a voters to sign pledges that they were Democrats, but the party dropped the idea Monday.

But some people said they were still asked to sign the pledge when they went to vote Tuesday morning. Conway Belangia, Greenville County elections director, said the paperwork for the primary, including the pledge, was sent out some time ago and some workers may not have been informed of the change.

At least one poll manager said she hadn't been informed of the change.

"I was unaware of that as I went to bed early last night and got up really early this morning. And I told the gentleman 'Until I hear from headquarters you can sign it and if we hear word we don't need it, it will be torn up and destroyed,' and that has been done," poll manager Molly McKenzie told WYFF News 4's Marc Willis.

Others said they had difficulty finding their polling place due to poor signage, but officials said overall there were few problems.

Party chairman Joe Erwin said he hoped for a turnout of as many as 200,000 voters. Already more than 115,000 people cast votes by 2 p.m. Tuesday, which surpasses the 1992 total of 114,000 people. State Democrats held a caucus for the 2000 election.

See Results From All Seven States As They Become Available