Rachel Maddow Is Crushing Fox News With Viewers That Democrats Need To Get Out To The Polls

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow is beating Fox News with the exact kind of viewers that Democrats need to get to the polls to be able to take back Congress in November.

The numbers via a press release provided to PoliticusUSA by MSNBC:

MSNBC total day (M-Su, 6am-6am) ranked #2 across cable networks in total viewers (ahead of #3 Nickelodeon, #4 TNT and #8 CNN). MSNBC averaged 930,000 total viewers and 196,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN’s 658,000 total viewers) and was up from #3 in 2Q17, while CNN was down two places from #6 in 2Q17. Beating CNN for the 5th quarter in a row, MSNBC was also the only cable news network to grow in total viewers, up +5% (vs. FOX News’ -4% and CNN’s -16%) compared to 2Q17.

“The Rachel Maddow Show” was the #2 most-watched show across all cable news in total viewers, up +9% (vs. CNN’s -15%) compared to 2Q17 and beating CNN in total viewers for the 35th straight quarter. In addition, “The Rachel Maddow Show” was #1 across all cable news in A18-49, beating both FOX News and CNN at 9 pm for the 5th straight quarter. At 9pm, “Maddow” averaged 2,752,000 total viewers (vs. CNN’s 1,004,000), 559,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN’s 333,000) and 399,000 viewers A18-49 (vs. FOX News’ 388,000 and CNN’s 265,000).

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Rachel Maddow’s audience and the voters that Democrats need overlap

Democrats are more enthused than Republicans about voting in November. Older Democrats understand the consequences of midterm elections, and they show up to vote. The problem has always been that younger voters have not been motivated to show up and vote for Democratic candidates when the presidency is not at stake. The surge in Democratic turnout in the off-year and special elections suggests that voters are showing up, but for November, Democrats are going to need younger voters, the kind that are watching Rachel Maddow each night, to come to the polls in November.

Sean Hannity and Fox News have the cult of Trump. Rachel Maddow’s rise is even more remarkable given the fact that she doesn’t have the President Of The United States and the White House pushing her show. Maddow is reaching the sort of potential voters of all ages that Democrats need in November.

The connection between the cable news ratings and election turnout is circumstantial at best, but Rachel Maddow is reaching people who usually aren’t paying attention to politics in midterm years, and their interest bodes well for the Democratic chances to take back Congress in November.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association