Third GOP Presidential Debate Gets Lowest Ratings of 2024 Cycle

In comparison, the annual Country Music Awards, which aired on ABC, got 1.71 million more viewers, or 6.63 million total viewers.

(L–R) Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, former Governor of South Carolina and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) attend the third Republican presidential primary debate at the Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Fla., on Nov. 8, 2023. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The third GOP debate brought in lower ratings than the previous two—marking a continuing decrease in viewership in the 2024 battle for which Republican could best take on the frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, who has skipped all of the debates.

The NBC News debate on Nov. 8—moderated by Lester Holt, Kristen Welker, and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt—attracted only 4.92 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Just 500,000 people aged 18-49 tuned in.