9.5 Million Watched 2nd Republican Presidential Debate

The GOP debate attracted around 3.4 million fewer viewers than the first one in August.

(L–R) North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former South Carolina Gov. and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and former Vice President Mike Pence at the second Republican presidential primary debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. on Sept. 27, 2023. Pedro Ugarte/AFP via Getty Images

The number of viewers who tuned in to watch the second Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night declined 27 percent, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.

An estimated 9.5 million people watched the second primary debate without former President Donald Trump, which was aired on Fox News Channel and Fox Business, as well as Univision, the Nielsen company said.