The fifth Democratic debate of the 2019–2020 primary season registered the smallest debate audience to date, drawing 6.5 million total viewers on MSNBC, according to early numbers from Nielsen Media Research.

The event, co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post from the Tyler Perry Theater in Atlanta, delivered 2 million fewer viewers than the last Democratic debate on Oct. 15, when 8.5 million tuned in to CNN. The event, co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post from the Tyler Perry Theater in Atlanta, delivered 2 million fewer viewers than the last Democratic debate on Oct. 15, when 8.5 million tuned in to CNN.

The relatively low numbers come on the same day where impeachment dominated the news cycle, with ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, MSNBC and CNN all offering live coverage.



The most-watched Democratic debate this year occurred on June 27 on NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo, with 18.1 million tuning in.