WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders said his campaign raised more than $1.3 million in the hours after the first Democratic debate of the 2016 race, and social media metrics showed he was the most-searched candidate on Google and most-discussed on Facebook and Twitter.
Meanwhile, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s backers celebrated the day after what some said was the best two hours of her campaign.
“We were over the moon,” said former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Clinton backer who'd traveled to Las Vegas to watch the first such confrontation between the 2016 Democratic nomination contenders. On morning cable news programs, Granholm could barely contain her glee. “It was such a great night,” she said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Both Sanders and Clinton were looking to build Wednesday on their strong Democratic presidential debate performances as the rest of the field struggled to gain traction. The debate commanded by Clinton and Sanders appeared to narrow any opening for a presidential bid by Vice President Joe Biden, Democratic strategists said. Biden watched the Tuesday matchup from Washington.
