Here's the 2016 GOP candidate most over-hyped by the media


FiveThirtyEight's Datalab blog put together a handy chart comparing Google News hits (that's the orange) with Google search frequency (that's the black line) for the 2016 Republican contenders. In general, each follows a similar pattern: There's an initial bump in both measures when the candidate announces, and then interest peters off because there are roughly a billion of these people and nobody wants to think about the election yet.
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"121498","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"926","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"600"}}]]
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.
There are, however, a few significant anomalies: Sen. Rand Paul, for example, received a spurt of attention for his anti-Patriot Act/NSA filibuster that was larger than several candidates' announcement peaks. But it's Jeb Bush who overwhelmingly takes the prize for most over-hyped candidate, with his media coverage far outpacing the interest of voters.
Tabloid king Donald Trump, of course, charts the biggest spike of any candidate. It's huge.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sites
In The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s void
Feature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War Department
Feature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
Laurence Fox suspended by GB News after 'unacceptable' Ava Evans comments
Speed Read Broadcaster issues apology after actor goes on a tirade during a live interview with Dan Wootton
-
Fox News apologizes to Gold Star family for false story Marine Corps called 'disgusting'
Speed Read
-
Tucker Carlson Tonight is being replaced by Fox News Tonight
Speed Read
-
Judge delays Fox News-Dominion defamation trial start, reportedly to allow settlement talks
Speed Read
-
Judge orders Dominion lawsuit against Fox News to go to trial
Speed Read
-
Fox News seeks gag order for producer who claims she was coerced to mislead in Dominion deposition
Speed Read
-
Lawsuit documents: After 2020 election, Tucker Carlson said he hates Trump 'passionately'
Speed Read
-
Rupert Murdoch gave Jared Kushner 'confidential information' on Biden ads, debate strategy, Dominion says
Speed Read