Obama wins South Carolina Democratic primary

COLUMBIA, S.C Jan 26 (Reuters) - Barack Obama won a vital contest in South Carolina on Saturday in his quest for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination, showing strength among southern blacks who make up half the state's Democratic voters.

After losses in New Hampshire and Nevada, the victory gave Obama, who would be the first black president, a big lift heading into the Super Tuesday contests on Feb. 5, when nearly half of the U.S. states will pick Republican and Democratic candidates for the November election. (Reporting by John Whitesides, editing by Lori Santos)