CNN’s latest Democratic debate once again posted low ratings despite hype involving Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The network drew just over 7 million viewers for Tuesday night’s debate, according to Nielsen Media Research, which is slightly more than last month’s debate, which drew just over 6 million viewers. (RELATED: CNN Hits Three-Years Ratings Low Amid Impeachment Drama)
Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar participate in the seventh Democratic 2020 presidential debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., Jan. 14, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
While Tuesday night’s debate slightly out-rated December’s debate, it still fell well short of previous Democratic and Republican primary debates. The first Democratic presidential debate last summer brought in 15 million viewers on MSNBC, the most ever in a Democratic primary debate. The record was topped in a debate hosted by ABC in September, which drew 18 million viewers on its second night.
The most watched primary debate in U.S. history remains the first Republican debate of the 2016 election cycle, which drew 24 million viewers on Fox News.
Ahead of the debate, Warren’s campaign accused Sanders of telling Warren in a private meeting in 2018 that he did not believe a woman could win the presidency.
“How could anybody in a million years not believe that a woman could become president of the United States?” Sanders remarked during the debate.