The first debate of the 2024 Republican presidential primary garnered a substantial audience despite the absence of the frontrunner, former president Donald Trump. The debate, which took place in Milwaukee, featured eight candidates vying to challenge Trump, who opted not to participate. According to Nielsen ratings and Fox’s streaming measurement, the debate attracted an average of approximately 13 million viewers across various platforms. While this number falls significantly short of the 24 million who tuned in to the first GOP primary debate in 2015 when Trump’s campaign was gaining momentum, it did surpass the 12.5 million viewers for Fox News’ last primary debate without Trump in January 2016.
The two-hour debate on Fox News secured an average of 11.09 million viewers and was moderated by Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier. Fox Business, on the other hand, garnered 1.7 million viewers. Approximately 200,000 viewers accessed the debate through Fox Nation and Fox News Digital streaming platforms.
Notably, the debate attracted the largest audience of any primetime program on Wednesday and emerged as the most-watched non-sports telecast of 2023 so far, outperforming the same-day viewing figures of 8.19 million for a New Year’s Day airing of “Yellowstone” on Paramount Network.
Furthermore, when considering the key news demographic of adults aged 25-54, Fox News and Fox Business combined for a total of 2.82 million viewers. This figure significantly surpassed the total viewership of other news programs on Wednesday.
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While Trump refrained from participating in the debate, he instead opted for a pre-taped interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The interview, which Carlson released on Wednesday night, had reportedly garnered a staggering 235.2 million views on the platform. However, it is important to note that in this context, a “view” is defined as two seconds. Applying this two-second standard to the debate, it would equate to approximately 46.8 billion views.
The absence of Trump from the debate did not deter viewership, as millions of Americans tuned in to witness the Republican candidates engage in a lively discussion and share their views on various issues. This highlights the significance of the primary process in determining the future direction of the Republican party.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the Republican primary promises to be a closely-watched event, with candidates seeking to position themselves as the best alternative to the former president. The debates provide an opportunity for candidates to present their ideas, policy proposals, and leadership capabilities to an engaged audience.
Beyond the ratings, the Republican primary debates serve as a platform for candidates to differentiate themselves, debate critical issues, and define their policy positions. It offers voters a chance to examine the candidates’ ideologies, leadership styles, and problem-solving approaches. The absence of a frontrunner like Trump adds intrigue to the race and allows lesser-known candidates to gain exposure and potentially rise in popularity.
While Trump’s decision not to participate in the debate may have disappointed some of his supporters, it also provided an opportunity for other candidates to shine. This dynamic could lead to a more diverse and robust primary process, fostering healthy competition and ensuring the party’s ultimate nominee truly reflects the will of Republican voters.
Overall, the first debate of the 2024 Republican presidential primary showcased a strong viewership despite the omission of the frontrunner, Donald Trump. The millions of viewers who tuned in demonstrate the enduring interest and engagement of the American public in the political process. As the primary season continues, it will be interesting to see how the candidates navigate the changing dynamics and seize opportunities to connect with voters in their quest to secure the Republican nomination.
