More TV viewers tuned into the town hall event this week on Fox News featuring former President Donald Trump than the CNN debate between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley – as all three bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
According to the Nielsen company, 4.3 million viewers tuned into the Wednesday night event with Trump, the frontrunner, compared to the 2.6 million who watched DeSantis and Halley, Trump’s closest challengers, in a debate during the same primetime slot, according to Associated Press.
[That’s not a good sign for either challenger, but one has to wonder how much of that was loyal viewership for Fox among Republican voters, too. Monday’s caucuses will rely on a more active choice, especially in the coming Polar Vortex, to go out in the cold to join precinct meetings. Organization matters in caucuses, but so does enthusiasm, and this late-if-indirect indicator strongly suggests that Trump still largely captures it. — Ed]
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.