Will the Democratic primaries get a ton of national attention?

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Primaries tend not to get much attention outside of hardcore partisans, but there are a few exceptions.

The climatic battle between Clinton and Obama had intense national interest - the highest rated debate had 10.7 million viewers and over 35 million people voted in the primaries. The GOP primaries didn't garner much national interest though (until the general election when the GOP ticket got way more media attention).

In 2012, despite the circus show acts such as Herman Cain, Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum it didn't gain much national attention. The highest rated debate only got 7.6 million viewers and only 20 million people voted - the same as 2008 (though to be fair in 2008 California voted on Super Tuesday).

This would change in 2016 when we got the ultimate reality TV star to join the race. Trump in July of 2015 got more media attention than Romney did in October 2012!!!!! That's mind blowing. Not only that, but the GOP primary debates had super high ratings - the first 2 debates got 24 million and 23 million viewers respectively, and averaged 15 million. The GOP primaries also got 30 million total votes despite not having California on Super Tuesday (though it did have Texas).

But it also bled over to the Democratic primaries: the first debate got 15.8 million viewers while the next few debates got over 10 million. I think if Trump never ran, the GOP AND Democratic debates would have averaged around what the GOP kiddie table debates did (5-8 million).

There was clearly a lot of interest, and I think with Trump's win a lot more people will be involved in the political process.

1. What do you think the average debate ratings will be for the Democratic primaries in 2020? Higher than 2016's (8 million)?

2. Do you think if celebrities/business people like Zuckerberg or The Rock join in would it increase interest levels dramatically? Or will people be burnt out with that stuff? Do you think any Democratic celebrity could get the amount of attention Trump did anyway?

3. Will it surpass 2008 in terms of total primary votes (as there won't be a GOP primary to compete)?

4. What do you think the media coverage will be like? Do you think it'll be like general election coverage (like it was for the 2016 GOP primaries)?

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

1. What do you think the average debate ratings will be for the Democratic primaries in 2020? Higher than 2016's (8 million)?
Equal to or less than 2016, since it'll be the same people who were interested in 2016, minus anyone who's gotten disillusioned by the process

2. Do you think if celebrities/business people like Zuckerberg or The Rock join in would it increase interest levels dramatically? Or will people be burnt out with that stuff?
I think people will burnt out of celebrity candidates by 2020

3. Will it surpass 2008 in terms of total primary votes (as there won't be a GOP primary to compete)?
i think so, yes

4. What do you think the media coverage will be like? Do you think it'll be like general election coverage (like it was for the GOP primaries)?
Probably just as awful as the coverage of 2016, although perhaps the media will be more responsible with their handling of news in 2020 versus 2016

[Beet]

The massive ratings for the GOP debates in 2015 surprised me. I thought ratings would be pretty low, to be honest.

I was winding down my interest in politics at the time - disgusted with pretty much everything, bad for my mental health - and probably would have stopped caring altogether had not Hillary Clinton been running.

In retrospect, the ratings for that first debate was a sign that '16 was going to be a Republican year.

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Booker will be the nominee. Unless, it's a leftward candidate, Sanders, it won't be that competetive

[CivicParticipant]

Most definitely.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

The massive ratings for the GOP debates in 2015 surprised me. I thought ratings would be pretty low, to be honest.

What surprised me is that Trump got as much media attention in July 2015 as Romney did in October 2012.

I mean I could understand August 2015 or December 2015, but July? Damn. Unreal.

And the debate ratings were insane for sure. 24 million made my jaw drop - I was expecting 15 million.

In retrospect, the ratings for that first debate was a sign that '16 was going to be a Republican year.

I wouldn't say that necessarily - a lot of people tuned in to see Trump. I think one major sign ever missed was the huge increase in GOP primary votes (going from 20 million in 08 and 12 to 30 million in 2016).