(NewsNation) — More than four million people watched the fourth GOP primary debate hosted by NewsNation and The CW Network.
Four Republican presidential hopefuls took the debate stage Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for a last-chance effort to win over voters before the Iowa caucuses in just six weeks.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie appeared in person at the University of Alabama, looking to position themselves as a viable alternative to former President Donald Trump — the dominant GOP front-runner.
Nearly 1.6 million people across the United States tuned into NewsNation, the largest in its history, including 350,000 adults aged 25 to 54.
More than 2.5 million people watched the event on The CW Network, which simulcast the debate, including nearly 500,000 adults aged 25-54. It was The CW’s most watched primetime program since 2018.
“NewsNation was incredibly honored to host last night’s debate, and we are very pleased that so many viewers tuned-in and watched,” said Sean Compton, President of Networks for Nexstar Media. “This debate represents a remarkable achievement for a cable news network that is just barely three years old. We’re very proud of the NewsNation team, the great job done by the moderators, and the overall production. In the end, the real winners last night were the nation’s voters.”
NewsNation has been growing exponentially over the last year, according to Nielsen. In weekday primetime, the network is up 73% in total viewers and up 90% among adults 25 to 54, year-to-date, compared to the same time last year.
Preliminary digital results show that nearly 400,000 people livestreamed some of the debate via the NewsNation website or mobile app.