Fox News quadruples Trump audience
Donald Trump assumed the Fox News Republican presidential debate would take a ratings hit without Donald Trump.
Score this one Fox 1, Donald Trump 0.
The Thursday Fox GOP debate drew 12.5 million viewers and an 8.4 overnight rating, far outpacing the viewer numbers for Trump’s competing, ahem, fundraiser broadcast live on CNN and MSNBC.
The CNN coverage of the two-hour Trump event drew 1.76 million viewers. MSNBC got 1.02 million for its Trump coverage.
Thursday’s debate did better than the Jan. 14 Fox Business Network debate, which had 11 million viewers.
The opening debate of the GOP season back in August on Fox News still has the record, at 24 million.