Fox News's town hall with Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Hillicon Valley: FBI, DHS warn that foreign hackers will likely spread disinformation around election results | Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day | Trump to meet with Republican state officials on tech liability shield MORE was watched by 1.1 million total viewers on Sunday night, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The event, co-moderated by "Fox News Sunday" anchor Chris Wallace Christopher (Chris) WallaceNearly 40 Democratic senators call for climate change questions in debates Webb: Political Reality Check The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November MORE, also delivered 172,000 viewers in the key 25- to 54-year-old demographic that advertisers covet most.

The audience in total viewers was a 22 percent increase when compared with the 2019 average of regular programming in the 7 p.m. time slot in which the Buttigieg town hall aired.

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The numbers of total viewers and younger demographic categories placed Fox News at the top of the cable news ratings race during the hour the event aired from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

MSNBC was second during the same hour with 621,000 total viewers, while CNN was third in the cable news race with 447,000. CNN did beat MSNBC in the key demographic, however, 96,000 to 77,000.

Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., has risen in recent polls, though he is still well behind former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Harris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle MORE, the current front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination.

The 37-year-old is the third Democratic presidential candidate to appear on Fox News in a town hall format.

Last month, Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersOutrage erupts over Breonna Taylor grand jury ruling Dimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (I-Vt.) was featured in a live event from Bethlehem, Pa., that drew nearly 2.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched town hall of the year. Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy KlobucharSocial media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates MORE (D-Minn.) appeared at a network town hall earlier this month, attracting 1.6 million viewers.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten GillibrandSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Suburban moms are going to decide the 2020 election Jon Stewart urges Congress to help veterans exposed to burn pits MORE (D-N.Y.) will appear in a Fox News town hall on June 2.

The events come after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced in March the party is barring Fox News from hosting Democratic presidential primary debates over the network’s reported close ties with the Trump administration.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez Thomas Edward PerezClinton’s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor’s 'wasteful spending and mismanagement” at Workers’ Comp MORE said in April that the party is not reconsidering its decision.