Biden leads by 18 points in South Carolina: poll

Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump says he'll leave White House if Biden declared winner of Electoral College The Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation US records 2,300 COVID-19 deaths as pandemic rises with holidays MORE has an 18-point lead over his Democratic presidential primary opponents in South Carolina, according to a poll released Wednesday. 

Biden has 35 percent support in the Clemson University poll released just days ahead of Saturday’s South Carolina primary. 

Businessman Tom SteyerTom SteyerBiden Cabinet picks largely unify Democrats — so far Late donor surges push election spending projections to new heights New voters surge to the polls MORE, who has focused much of his campaign on South Carolina, pulled in a distant second at 17 percent support in the poll. 

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation Clyburn: Biden falling short on naming Black figures to top posts Prepare for buyers' remorse when Biden/Harris nationalize health care MORE (I-Vt.), the leading candidate in the race after three nominating contests, trails Steyer in the poll by 4 points at 13 percent support. 

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenThe Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation Disney laying off 32,000 workers as coronavirus batters theme parks Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams among nominees for Time magazine's 2020 Person of the Year MORE (D-Mass.) and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete Buttigieg'Biff is president': Michael J. Fox says Trump has played on 'every worst instinct in mankind' Buttigieg: Denying Biden intelligence briefings is about protecting Trump's 'ego' Biden's win is not a policy mandate — he should govern accordingly MORE each register at 8 percent support, with Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: YouTube suspends OANN amid lawmaker pressure | Dems probe Facebook, Twitter over Georgia runoff | FCC reaffirms ZTE's national security risk Democrats urge YouTube to remove election misinformation, step up efforts ahead of Georgia runoff YouTube temporarily suspends OANN account after spreading coronavirus misinformation MORE (D-Minn.) lagging behind at 4 percent. 

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi GabbardTulsi GabbardSix people whose election wins made history Next Congress expected to have record diversity Native Americans elected to Congress in record numbers this year MORE is last with 2 percent support in South Carolina. 

Biden said Tuesday on the debate stage that he expects to win in South Carolina, the first state on the primary calendar to have a significant African American population, following disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. He came in a distant second behind Sanders in last weekend's Nevada caucuses. 

The survey is based on 650 respondents, through a mixed methodology of telephone response, online and online panel voters. It was conducted between Feb. 17 and 25. There is a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points. 

The results of the survey were not weighted for age, sex or ethnicity, pollsters said. Three percent of respondents were under 25, 14 percent were under 40, 20 percent were under 54, 21 percent were under 64, and 43 percent were 65 or older. 

-- Updated at 5:01 p.m.