Why Tulsi Gabbard’s post-debate Google spike should come with a grain of salt


Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) seemingly won the Google search debate Wednesday night. That doesn't necessarily mean she'll see a spike in the polls.
Following Gabbard's appearance alongside nine other Democrats during the first primary debate, Google Trends reported that the Iraq veteran had become the most-searched candidate in a majority of states. She also won an apparent "instant poll" from Drudge Report — not that that means much of anything.
Gabbard was quick to tout the fact that she, along with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), dominated Google searches after the debate. But seeing as Gabbard was a relative unknown going into Wednesday night, there's a strong chance viewers were just searching to learn more about a candidate they'd never heard of, especially after her spat with a stuttering Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) over who conducted the 9/11 terror attacks. There's no way of knowing whether those searchers were impressed with Gabbard or not — though it's hard to argue that rising search interest is a bad thing.
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.
The Drudge Report poll, meanwhile, is downright "useless," as The Washington Post's Phillip Bump tweeted and commentators echoed. Drudge is a heavily conservative site whose readers will largely have no say in the Democratic primaries.
Fellow candidate Julián Castro's 2400% Google search spike during the debates should also be taken lightly. After all, it's easy to see growth when one's search numbers are relatively low to begin with.
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
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
5 costly cartoons about the national debt
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on the USA's financial hole, rare bipartisan agreement, and Donald Trump and Mike Johnson.
-
Green goddess salad recipe
The Week Recommends Avocado can be the creamy star of the show in this fresh, sharp salad
-
The Biden cover-up: a 'near-treasonous' conspiracy
Talking Point Using 'Trumpian' tactics, the former president's inner circle maintained a conspiracy of silence around his cognitive and physical decline
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge
-
US trade court nullifies Trump's biggest tariffs
speed read The US Court of International Trade says Trump exceeded his authority in imposing global tariffs
-
Trump pauses all new foreign student visas
speed read The State Department has stopped scheduling interviews with those seeking student visas in preparation for scrutiny of applicants' social media
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges