Last night’s Fox debate, however, was the second-lowest rated debate since they began last summer when the first GOP showdown posted a record-setting 25 million viewers.
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In his response, Senator Ted Cruz from Texas mocked the Republican front runner.
In the metered-market overnights, which represent 56 of the nation’s largest markets, Fox News Channel’s debate from Iowa averaged an 8.4 household rating.
A new Gallup poll shows Cruz’s favorability rating among Republicans dropped nine percentage points to 55 percent, and his unfavorable rating rose seven percentage points. Trump clashed with moderator Megyn Kelly that time – and avoided a rematch by skipping Thursday’s debate. “I’m a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly, and Ben, you’re a bad surgeon”, he told his rivals, including Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon. Instead of attending a seventh debate, the former reality TV star held a competing event across town that he said raised $6m (£4m) for United States military veterans.
When Iowans woke up this morning, the Des Moines Register headline read: “Rough night for Ted Cruz”. The Fox Business event this month drew the smallest crowd with 11 million viewers.
The fact is, and I said it, you know I have a very good relationship with Fox, but when somebody doesn’t treat you properly, you got to be tough, you got to be strong, you got to be, you can’t let them push you around.
Asked by Tapper if Trump could be stopped, Rubio said, “Sure”.
The numbers are further supported by Google Trends, which reported the search interest of the debate live stream versus the Trump rally live stream.
Cruz has claimed those values include a pro-choice statement Trump to “Meet the Press” in 1999.
While it’s unknown whether or not Trump’s foundation will donate part or all of the money to veterans, Reverb Press also showed that between 2009 and 2013, the billionaire real estate mogul donated over $5 million to charity, but only $57,000 to veterans groups.
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Trump did note that there was a risk in his boycott of the debate. “And I actually think my own event was better for me than doing the debate”.
