Donald Trump was the unquestionable winner of the debate, according to online polls

Frank Luntz's respected focus group polling deemed Marco Rubio the winner of Thursday night's debate, but it was a different story online. While such surveys have a tendency to be highly unscientific and only roughly accurate, they are a great gauge of the general temperature of how a candidate went over. Rather unsurprisingly at this point, Donald Trump was a big hit.
In a Drudge Report survey of more than 120,000 people, 63.8 percent of respondents named Trump the winner. Ted Cruz trailed at 17.9 percent, Marco Rubio at 12.8 percent, John Kasich at 3.6 percent, and why-is-he-still-running Ben Carson came in with 2 percent.
Time magazine, on the other hand, reflected a brutal night for Ted Cruz, with a single-digit percentage of respondents thinking he was a winner. In their online poll of 17,000 people, Trump was declared the winner by 71 percent, Rubio by 18 percent, Kasich by 6 percent, Cruz by 4 percent, and Carson was again the caboose at 2 percent.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Thursday's Republican debate was the last before the Super Tuesday showdown on March 1.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Mountains of garbage are creating more hazards in Gaza
under the radar Gaza was already creating 1,700 tons of waste daily prior to the war
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 3, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: March 3, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Judge tells White House to stop ordering mass firings
speed read The ruling is a complication in the Trump administration's plans to slash the federal workforce
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump vows 25% tariffs on EU at Cabinet meeting
Speed Read The tariff threats serve to enhance a growing suspicion that the president views Europe as an adversary, not an ally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump proposes 'gold card' visas for rich immigrants
speed read The president claimed the US will begin selling $5 million visas offering permanent residency
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
House passes framework for big tax and spending cuts
Speed Read Democrats opposed the GOP's plan for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and $2 trillion in spending cuts, citing the impacts it will have on social programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump sides with Russia on Ukraine war anniversary
Speed Read The president's embrace of the Kremlin is a reversal of American policy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump purges Pentagon, puts MAGA pundit at FBI
speed read The president fired top military leaders and appointed podcaster Dan Bongino as deputy director of the FBI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's email to all federal workers prompts blowback
Speed Read Elon Musk ordered workers to summarize their accomplishments for the past week or be forced to resign
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Mitch McConnell won't seek reelection
Speed Read The longest-serving Senate party leader is retiring
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published