The debate stage clash between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump drew an estimated 67.1 million viewers, according to the media analytics company Nielsen.
The estimated viewership improved on the ratings for the match-up between Trump and President Joe Biden in late June, which attracted roughly 51.3 million viewers — and effectively derailed Biden's re-election bid.
ABC hosted and aired the Harris-Trump faceoff, which was simulcast on 17 networks, including NBC and MSNBC, according to Nielsen.
Nielsen said more than 6.4 million viewers were ages 18 to 34; another 16.8 million were 35 to 54. But viewers over 55 made up the largest share, with more than 41.3 million tuning in.
Tuesday's ratings fell short of the record set in 2016, when roughly 84 million people watched Trump square off against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The first debate between Trump and Biden in 2020 drew 73.1 million people.
Nielsen earlier reported that 57.5 million people watched Harris and Trump, adding that final numbers would be released later. The data did not include the number of people who followed the debate via social media, news websites or streaming platforms.
The event, held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, was co-moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News, who were praised by Democrats and assailed by Republicans for fact-checking Trump's false claims.
The debate represented one of the biggest opportunities for the two candidates to present their cases to the country in the final stretch of an unusually abbreviated general election campaign.
Harris drew praise for her sharp attacks on Trump's record on abortion and national security. Trump's conspiracy-heavy performance prompted concern from his political allies as he attempts to win a second term in the White House.
