According to preliminary figures from ABC, the network that aired the important match, the debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump drew at least 57.5 million viewers.

According to media analytics firm Nielsen, ABC’s initial ratings estimate is better than the late June debate between President Joe Biden and Trump, which drew about 51.3 million people.

The preliminary data includes viewing figures on just seven networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. ABC said it would release the final figures — including estimated streaming audiences — in the coming days.

According to ABC, approximately 17.8 million viewers were adults between the ages of 25 and 54. Another approximately 14.8 million viewers were adults between the ages of 18 and 49.

The event, held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, was co-moderated by ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis, who were praised by Democrats and criticized by Republicans for fact-checking Trump’s false claims.

The debate was one of the biggest opportunities for the two candidates to present their positions to the country in the final phase of an unusually short election campaign.

Harris has won praise for her sharp attacks on Trump’s record on abortion and national security. Trump’s conspiracy theory-heavy performance has raised concerns among his political allies as he seeks a second term in the White House.

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