Thirty-six million people watched Tuesday night’s fiery vice presidential debate, the lowest number since the 2000 VP contest, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen Research.

Final numbers that include all cable networks covering the event will push the number higher, likely into the 38 million to 40 million range.

Either way, the audience would be the smallest for a vice presidential debate since 29.1 million watched Republican Dick Cheney take on Democrat Joe Lieberman in 2000.

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In 2012, the debate between Vice President Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) drew 51.4 million viewers.

The highest-rated recent vice presidential debate came in 2008, when 69.9 million watched Biden and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The lowest-rated debate of all time occurred between Vice President Al Gore Albert (Al) Arnold GoreCruz says Senate Republicans likely have votes to confirm Trump Supreme Court nominee 4 inconclusive Electoral College results that challenged our democracy Fox's Napolitano: 2000 election will look like 'child's play' compared to 2020 legal battles MORE and the late Rep. Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.) in 1996. It drew just 26.6 million viewers.

On the broadcast end, NBC won the night, with 6.69 million total viewers. CBS was second with 6.49 million. ABC and Fox rounded out the big four networks.

On the cable front, CNN won in the 25–54 age demographic, with 1.68 million viewers to Fox News's 1.50 million.

Fox News led the way in total viewers, 6.08 million compared with CNN's 4.16 million.

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MSNBC finished third in both categories.

The numbers fell short of what most analysts were expecting.

A recent ABC poll showed 40 percent of those polled couldn't name either Pence or Kaine as their party's respective nominees.

The second presidential debate between Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE and Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden goes on offense MORE is set for this Sunday night in St. Louis. Moderators for the town hall-style event will be ABC’s Martha Raddatz and CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

Their first debate, on Sept. 26, drew a record 84 million viewers.