Jul 31, 2019 - Economy

8.7 million watched Night 1 of second Democratic debate

Sara Fischer

Candidates at the Democratic debate in Detroit. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

More than 8 million people tuned into Night 1 of the second round of Democratic primary debates for the 2020 cycle, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen.

Why it matters: It was a significantly smaller audience than that of the first round of debates that aired in June — which drew 15.3 million viewers on Night 1, while the second totaled 18.1 million viewers.

Yes, but: Those debates aired live across 3 networks: MSNBC, NBC and Telemundo.

Between the lines: CNN says this was its second-highest Democratic debate for live viewership on record, next to its October 2015 Democratic debate in Las Vegas. It says it was also its second most-watched debate on livestream.

Go deeper: First 2020 primary debate breaks viewership records

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8.7 million watched Night 1 of second Democratic debate

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