JD Vance-Tim Walz VP Debate Likely Saw Significant Network Viewer Dropoff From 2020, Early Numbers Show

The vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance averaged 38.88 million viewers across eight networks, according to early numbers, short of the initial viewership figures from the Kamala Harris-Mike Pence matchup in 2020.

The CBS News event was also simulcast by its rivals.

According to early figures from Nielsen, CBS averaged 9.14 million viewers, Fox News averaged 7.69 million, ABC News averaged 6.1 million, NBC averaged 5.44 million, MSNBC averaged 4.65 million, CNN posted 3.18 million, Fox Broadcasting averaged 2.42 million and Fox Business had 255,000. The figures come from Fox and MSNBC.

The 2020 debate averaged about 51 million in early numbers across those networks. The Harris-Pence event ultimately drew 59 million, the second most watched VP debate since they were started in 1976.

Nielsen is expected to release a more complete picture of the audience total later today.

ABC News’ Trump-Harris presidential debate last month drew 67.14 million across 17 networks last month.