Fox News’s Thursday night debate was its second highest-rated telecast in the network’s history despite Donald Trump’s absence.
It was, however, the second-lowest rated debate so far this election cycle. Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, had predicted that the debate without Trump might only have “1 or 2 million” viewers.”
Instead, 12.5 million viewers tuned in Thursday, 1.5 million more than the Jan. 14 Fox Business debate, CNN reports.
Trump’s event held at Drake University to raise money for his personal foundation to help veterans was aired on CNN and MSNBC. A combined 2.7 million people tuned in to the “special event.” (RELATED: Here Are The People Who Donated $6 Million To Trump’s Fundraiser For Vets)
The debate had a household rating of 8.4, meaning 8.4 percent of homes tuned in, according to early Nielsen data. The earlier Fox Business debate had a rating of 7.4.
While Fox Business does have significantly less reach than Fox News, it was unbundled for the Jan. 14 debate bringing it within three million as many homes as Fox News.