Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Democrats are more likely to watch the debate of the opposing party than Republicans, according to a report by the Pew Research Center.
The report found that Democratic debate watchers have tuned into the Republican debates in large numbers, something that’s much less common for Republicans.
The Pew Research Center found that 49 percent of Republicans who watched a debate tuned into a Democratic debate; while 70 percent of Democrats who said they watched debates said they saw at least one of the Republican debates.
The cross-party debate watching occurs mostly among those people who said they watched multiple debates. The Pew Research Center found 89 percent of Democrats who watched more than one watched debates for both parties.
Eight percent of Democratic debate watchers said they only watched their party’s debate; while 41 percent of Republicans said only Republican debates.
The viewership may have much to do with the debate schedule. Democratic candidates have had far fewer debates than their Republican counterparts. Republican debates have also been far more contentious, as candidates sparring with each other from the moment they take the stage.
The Top 3 viewed debates have been Republican debates.
Republicans watch presidential debates at higher rates than both Democrats & independents https://t.co/ccZyPDnSjT pic.twitter.com/fivALk0rwr
— PewResearch Journo (@pewjournalism) January 29, 2016
