Klobuchar and Buttigieg had very different debate nights, survey shows
Who won Thursday's Democratic debate? It depends how you measure.
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) got the most speaking time, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) coming close behind — all at around 20 minutes. Former Vice President Joe Biden talked for just 15 minutes, oddly low given his consistent lead in the polls, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer each got about 11 minutes with the mic.
Meanwhile, a new FiveThirtyEight/Ipsos survey finds two significant wins for Klobuchar, who "gained a little over 4 points in the share of respondents who said they were considering voting for her," more than double anyone else's gains. She also posted the best pre- and post-debate comparative gains in respondents' average rating of candidates' chances to beat President Trump. Still, relative improvements like Klobuchar's are not the same as an overall lead, and in that Biden, Sanders, and Warren dominated the night.
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 debate's losers are easier to identify: Buttigieg and Steyer had the worst evening, the Ipsos survey showed, each coming away with higher unfavorable ratings and minimal gains among prospective voters. In fact, Buttigieg was the sole candidate whose net favorability declined.
The next Democratic debate is scheduled for January, and once again the polling and fundraising requirements for participation will be raised in an effort to narrow the field.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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
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.
-
Codeword: April 25, 2024
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cicada-geddon: the fungus that controls insects like 'zombies'
Under The Radar Expert says bugs will develop 'hypersexualisation' despite their genitals falling off
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published