DeSaster Ratings? DeSantis Fox's Interview For The Campaign Launch Drew Fewer Than Two Million Viewers, Less Than 200,000 In The Key Demo, Compared To More Than Three Million And 780,000 For Trump In The Key Demo For CNN's Town Hall

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) kicked off his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination against President Trump with appearances on Twitter Spaces and Fox News Channel Wednesday night. Initial ratings for both were disappointing: 300,000 listeners for Twitter and 1.9 million viewers for Fox. By comparison, Trump drew 3.3 million viewers for his CNN town hall earlier this month and more than four times the viewership in the key show 25-54 than DeSantis.

DeSantis was interviewed by former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) on Fox and on Twitter Spaces by owner Elon Musk and billionaire investor David Sacks. The Twitter interview was marred by major technology glitches that Musk and DeSantis blamed on the alleged claim of crashing servers. Various reports put the demand at between 500,000 and 600,000 in the flawed start, with 300,000 remaining when DeSantis finally spoke. An encouraging sign for DeSantis is the Twitter Space archive it shows 3.9 million “tuned in” as of Friday morning. However, that number probably includes several attempts by the same users to try to listen during the live fiasco on Wednesday night.

DeSantis’ campaign is promoting $8.2 million in donations within 24 hours of the campaign’s launch. However, questions about DeSantis’ fundraising operation are being raised with an NBC News report that DeSantis Florida government officials are soliciting campaign donations from lobbyists with businesses in Florida.

Mediaite reported on the ratings for Wednesday at 8 p.m. when DeSantis appeared on Fox:

FOX NEWS TONIGHT (Gowdy): 1,955,000; CNN ANDERSON COOPER 360:511,000; MSNBC ALL WITH CHRIS HAYES: 1,493,000; Newsmax ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE: 426,000; Newsnation CUOMO: 154,000

In the key demo, viewers 25-54, DeSantis just barely edged out MSNBC 186,000 to 179,000.

Axios reported that Trump’s May 10 CNN town hall drew 3,300,000 viewers with more than 780,000 in the key 25-54 showing.

Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly pointed to DeSantis’ ratings disaster: “Don’t be fooled by the headline about Fox ‘crushing’ Twitter spaces: The news here is that EVEN WITH DESANTIS on the night of his ad, the 8p in FNC failed to break 200k in the demo (25-54yrs). It’s just horrible.”

Don’t be fooled by the headline about Fox “crushing” Twitter spaces – the news here is that EVEN WITH DESANTIS on the night of its announcement, the 8p on FNC failed to break 200k in demo (25-54yrs) . just nasty #s. https://t.co/BHbOoMPSGm

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 25, 2023

Fox News announced that Sean Hannity will host a town hall with Trump in Iowa on June 1.

HANNITY TOWN HALL: On June 1st, “Hannity” will be hosting a town hall with former President Trump in Iowa! Tune in at 9pm ET or set up your DVR! pic.twitter.com/1pLqS1ZCov

—Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) May 26, 2023

KCCI-TV reported that the town hall will be recorded in advance. Trump is also scheduled to speak at an event that morning (excerpt):

The former president will speak June 1 at the Westside Conservative Club morning meeting at the Machine Shed restaurant in Urbandale.

He will then participate in a town hall hosted by Sean Hannity, Fox News announced. That event will be pre-recorded on Clive and will air at 8pm that night.

The Trump campaign also confirmed to KCCI that he plans to have a private meeting with local pastors during his visit.

Trump’s visit to Iowa comes after he canceled a May 13 rally scheduled for Des Moines due to tornado threats throughout the area.

An Emerson College poll released Thursday shows Trump crushing DeSantis in Iowa, 62 percent to 20 percent.

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