CNN’s highly anticipated interview with the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, averaged 6.3 million viewers on Thursday, according to Nielsen data.

The attendance was slightly larger than for a typical town hall meeting or a formal interview with a presidential or vice presidential candidate.

Harris had not had an in-depth conversation with a reporter since July 21, when President Biden ended his re-election campaign and endorsed the vice president.

The issue became a hot topic for pundits and Republican opposition after a strong nominating convention was held in Chicago last week.

Fox News drew 6.1 million viewers on July 15 when Sean Hannity gave the first interview with former President Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).

The Republican candidates appeared together on the July 22 episode of “Jesse Watters Tonight” after the party convention, which drew 4.3 million viewers.

When Harris and President Joe Biden spoke to ABC News in August 2020 after the Democratic National Convention, 5.1 million people were watching.

Trump is a frequent presence on Fox News and other conservative media, making his appearance less of an event. The last time Trump was interviewed on CNN — in a much-criticized town hall on May 10, 2023 — was watched by 3.3 million viewers.

The hour-long CNN special with Harris and Walz featured about 17 minutes of actual conversation (ratings measured the program from 9:00 to 9:50 p.m. Eastern). The candidates were taped earlier in the day while campaigning in Georgia, a key swing state in the election.

Harris answered questions from CNN host Dana Bash, who co-moderated the pivotal presidential debate between Trump and Biden, about some of the shifts in her policy positions since her short-lived 2020 presidential campaign. Harris also detailed her phone call with Biden on the day he withdrew from the race and endorsed her.

Reactions to the speech, as expected, varied along party lines.

Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as Trump’s White House communications director and has become an outspoken critic of the former president, said on X that Harris “did a good job. She’s going to win.”

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro wrote: “Wow, she is awful.”

Trump will appear with Hannity for an hour-long town hall on Wednesday. Both Trump and Harris have committed to meeting on Sept. 10 for their only scheduled debate in Philadelphia, moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.