Former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE trounces his competition in South Carolina, carrying a 27-point lead over his closest rival in the Democratic presidential race, Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisHundreds of lawyers from nation's oldest African American sorority join effort to fight voter suppression Biden picks up endorsement from progressive climate group 350 Action 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing MORE (D-Calif.), according to a survey from Monmouth University Poll released Thursday.

The poll, Monmouth’s first in South Carolina of the 2020 election cycle, shows Biden with the support of 39 percent of likely Democratic primary voters in the Palmetto State.

Biden is followed by Harris at 12 percent, Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power Bernie Sanders: 'This is an election between Donald Trump and democracy' The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome MORE (I-Vt.) at 10 percent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Democratic senators ask inspector general to investigate IRS use of location tracking service MORE (D-Mass.) at 9 percent and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE at 5 percent.

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Only two other candidates — Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer Tom SteyerTV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month Inslee calls Biden climate plan 'perfect for the moment' OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump administration finalizes plan to open up Alaska wildlife refuge to drilling | California finalizes fuel efficiency deal with five automakers, undercutting Trump | Democrats use vulnerable GOP senators to get rare win on environment MORE — took more than 1 percent in the survey, coming in with 2 percent support each.

Among black voters, who make up more than 60 percent of the Democratic primary electorate in South Carolina, Biden clocks in with 51 percent support. That’s more than four times higher than the 12 percent of black voters that said they back Harris, and more than five times higher than the 10 percent that support Sanders.

“Black Democrats tend to be more moderate than white primary voters. Biden is the best known candidate currently occupying that lane,” Patrick Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said.

South Carolina will be the fourth state to hold its Democratic nominating contest in 2020, and the first state in which black voters make up a majority of the primary electorate. A win there is also seen as crucial, because it is the last early state to hold a primary before Super Tuesday, when voters in more than a dozen states will head to the polls.

The Monmouth poll surveyed 405 likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina from July 18-22. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Biden has regularly led the Democratic primary field among black voters, but has embarked on a more aggressive effort in recent days to shore up his support among that voting bloc.

On Tuesday, he toured a youth center in New Orleans alongside Rep. Cedric Richmond Cedric Levon RichmondRep. Bill Pascrell named chair of House oversight panel Rep. Cedric Richmond set to join House Ways and Means Committee Biden campaign ratchets up courting of Black voters, specifically Black men MORE (D-La.), the former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

That same day, Biden released a wide-ranging proposal to tackle mass incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

But there are signs that Biden’s support among black voters may be more tenuous than once thought. Polls from Morning Consult show that Biden’s support has dropped by 7 points since a June 28 presidential debate, when Harris confronted him over his opposition to federally mandated school busing in the 1970s. Since then, Harris has seen her support among black voters rise by 6 percent.

Booker, meanwhile, has begun confronting Biden more directly over his record, accusing the former vice president this week of helping to exacerbate racial disparities in the criminal justice system by supporting the 1994 crime bill that many believe contributed to mass incarceration.

In a speech at the National Urban League conference in Indianapolis on Thursday, Booker appeared to allude to Biden once again, suggesting that candidates should be judged not just by their policy aspirations but by their records.

“It is not enough to show up in our communities today, with a promise of a better tomorrow,” Booker said. “What were you doing five, 10, 15 or 20 years ago to fight for racial justice, to combat racial inequality and structural inequality?”