Numbers Are In: Here’s How Many People Watched JD Vance Debate Tim Walz

The vice-presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz drew in nearly 43.1 million viewers.

Nielson reported that the number of viewers dropped compared to the presidential debate in 2020.

In 2020, the debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris garnered 57.9 million viewers.

In comparison to the 2024 presidential debate between President Trump and Kamala Harris, it also fell short.

The debate between Trump and Harris netted 67.1 million viewers.

More than 43 million tuned in to JD Vance-Tim Walz vice presidential debate https://t.co/gSpCTkHVj4 pic.twitter.com/QR88B0R56Q

— New York Post (@nypost) October 2, 2024

Here’s what The New York Times:

The vice-presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz drew 43.1 million viewers on Tuesday night, significantly fewer than the face-off between the vice-presidential candidates in 2020, according to Nielsen.

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The debate in 2020, between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence, drew 57.9 million viewers. That ranked as the second-most-watched vice-presidential matchup since 1976, the year Nielsen started keeping such records.

Tuesday’s debate was also a significant drop-off from the presidential debate last month between Ms. Harris and former President Donald J. Trump. That event drew 67.1 million viewers.

Still, Tuesday’s debate will rank as one of the most-watched live events for the year. Vice-presidential debates have averaged roughly 46 million viewers going back to 1976, according to Nielsen.

Vance and Walz debate brings in 43 million viewers: Nielsen https://t.co/DDTtBMMsn8

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) October 2, 2024

Per The New York Post:

The lone vice presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle drew more than 43 million Americans across 15 networks, well down from four years ago, according to early Nielsen ratings released Wednesday.

The initial measurement for the audience of the CBS News debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was drawn from outlets including ABC, CBS, Fox News, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, NewsNation and PBS.

The 43.2 million figure is down 25% from the 57.9 million who watched Vice President Mike Pence debate then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) in October 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The highest-rated VP debate of the modern era remains the 2008 showdown between then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, which drew 69.9 million viewers.