Hillary Clinton would be lost and that her accomplishments would be viewed in light of someone else. In 1974, Bill Clinton lost an Arkansas congressional race, facing incumbent Republican Hammersmith. Rodham and Bill Clinton bought a house in Fayetteville in the summer of 1975 and she finally agreed to marry him. The wedding took place on October 11, 1975, in a Methodist ceremony in their living room. A story about the marriage in the "Arkansas Gazette" indicated that she decided to retain the name Hillary Rodham. Her motivation was threefold. She wanted to keep the couple's professional lives separate, avoid apparent conflicts
Hillary Clinton margin to Obama in the January 26 South Carolina primary, setting up, with Edwards soon dropping out, an intense two-person contest for the twenty-two February 5 Super Tuesday states. Bill Clinton had made more statements attracting criticism for their perceived racial implications late in the South Carolina campaign and his role was seen as damaging enough to her that a wave of supporters within and outside of the campaign said the former President "needs to stop". The South Carolina campaign had done lasting damage to Hillary Clinton, eroding her support among the Democratic establishment and leading to the prized endorsement