Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Monday town hall on Fox News had a higher viewership than any of the previous presidential town halls this election cycle.
The event garnered nearly 2.6 million viewers and 489,000 in the coveted 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. Throughout the hour-long event, Sanders had a combative attitude, at times leading to some heated moments.
It was Sanders’ second town hall, his first coming back in February on CNN, which attracted 1.35 million people, approximately half the audience of his more recent on. (RELATED: Fox News Blows CNN, MSNBC, Out Of The Water In Aftermath Of Mueller Report)
Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks during a gathering of the National Action Network April 5, 2019 in New York. (DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)
Prior to the event Monday, the presidential town hall that had garnered the highest audience was that held by CNN with California Sen. Kamala Harris back on Feb. 25.
Sanders’ town hall, which was moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, was the network’s second town hall, the first being with former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. Despite Schultz not even having formally announced his campaign, the event earned 1.88 million viewers, making it the third most viewed one during this election cycle.
Sanders’s decision to have this event on Fox News bucked the Democratic National Committee’s decision not to allow the network to host a presidential debate. DNC Chairman Tom Perez released a statement about the DNC’s decision last month, saying that Fox News is “not in a position to host a fair and neutral debate.”