South Carolina Democratic debate live updates: Candidates face off in Charleston

The leading Democratic presidential candidates are expected to come out swinging at the party's 10th debate in Charleston, South Carolina, on Tuesday night.

The debate could be make-or-break for former Vice President Joe Biden, who needs to prove his strength in the state's upcoming primary after placing second in Nevada and poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, will be defending his frontrunner status from attacks on all sides, while Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren try to broaden their support among black and Latino voters. Underdogs Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer are looking to deliver strong performances to hang on through Super Tuesday, while Mike Bloomberg must bounce back from his widely panned performance at his first debate in Las Vegas last week.

The two-hour debate, co-hosted byCBS News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET. It's the last verbal bout before the candidates head into South Carolina's primary on Saturday and the Super Tuesday nominating contests of 14 states on March 3, where more than a third of Democratic National Convention delegates are up for grabs.

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Read our debate coverage:

• Everything you need to know about the South Carolina debate.
• Five things to watch on Tuesday night: Will Biden's 'firewall' hold?
• The loneliness of Elizabeth Warren: 'I feel like I'm living in a movie.'

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