South Carolina Democrats vote in White House race

Columbia: Barack Obama was leading rival Hillary Clinton in polls as South Carolina Democrats cast votes on Saturday in a bitter presidential nominating race.

Record turnout of more than 300,000 is expected in the first Democratic primary in the South, where black voters are likely to make up about half of the electorate.

"I am absolutely convinced that we can win here, and we can win anywhere in the country," Obama said at a late-night rally in Columbia.

After two consecutive losses, in New Hampshire and Nevada, Obama needs a win on Saturday if he hopes to head into the February 5 contests in 22 states.

The high stakes fuelled a week of angry accusations, harsh advertisements and increasingly personal jabs between the two candidates.

Obama accused the Clintons of distorting his record, while Clinton said there was a legitimate role for “correcting the record''.