Who won last night’s debate? Google Trends reveals a clear answer

Last night’s presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, held in Philadelphia, sparked a flurry of conversations online. But when it comes to who won, the answer is clear—at least, according to Google Trends.

Immediately following the debate, searches for “who won the debate” skyrocketed to over 5 million queries, reflecting a massive public interest in understanding the consensus. The peak search volume occurred at 10:56 PM (Eastern), just minutes after the debate ended, signaling that viewers were eager to determine how the night’s key moments landed with the general public.

What does Google Trends have to do with who won?

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Google Trends is a tool that analyzes the popularity of search queries in real-time, tracking how often a term is searched across different regions and time periods to reveal public interest and trending topics. In essence, it provides an unfiltered look into the real-time thoughts and concerns of the public. It’s also a tool I’ve used throughout my career in SEO and content marketing to help ideate and create content for my clients.

According to Seth Stephens-Davidowitz in his book Everybody Lies, “The more I have studied, the more I have learned that Google has lots of information that is missed by the polls that can be helpful in understanding—among many, many other subjects—an election.”

“There is information on who will actually turn out to vote…There might even be information on who they will vote for,” he continued.

When viewers watch a debate, they may hesitate to share their reactions publicly, but their Google searches reveal their immediate, honest thoughts and reactions.

In last night’s debate, searches for specific issues and questionable quotes spiked to the top of the trends list. These searches provide insight into the most memorable moments of the night and what resonated with viewers—whether it’s policy issues, candidate personalities, or even celebrity endorsements.

Hot debate topics that ignited search interest

Beyond the question of who won, the debate itself was filled with hot-button issues that drove significant search volume. Among the most searched, according to the past 24 hours of Google’s “Trending now” tab, were:

• Fracking: As expected, this issue generated considerable attention, particularly in Pennsylvania, where fracking is an essential part of the economy. Kamala Harris, who has advocated for transitioning to clean energy, has faced criticism from Republicans for her stance against fracking. However, during the debate, Harris clarified her nuanced position of supporting a gradual phase-out rather than an immediate ban, to protect jobs in swing states like Pennsylvania. Trump, on the other hand, defended fracking, positioning it as critical for energy independence and economic growth, particularly in regions that rely on the industry. Interest in fracking-related searches spiked with over 500K+ queries.
• Project 2025: A heavily discussed topic, Project 2025, is a right-wing policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government with many anti-women and anti-LGBTQ+ stances. Harris pressed Trump on this, and the discussion led to a significant bump in searches. More than 200K+ searches for Project 2025 were recorded as people sought more details.
• “Eating pets”: One of the more bizarre trending topics, “eating pets,” garnered notable attention with over 200K+ searches. While this odd phrase might raise eyebrows, it stemmed from Trump’s baseless claims that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating local residents’ dogs and cats.
• Central Park 5: Trump’s past calls for the execution of the wrongfully accused teens came up during the debate, prompting renewed interest in this infamous chapter of his history. Search volume for “Central Park 5” surged during the discussion, with over 100K+ queries.
• Marxist: A significant amount of attention was also drawn to the term “Marxist,” which was brought up during the debate by Trump in his criticisms of Harris’ policies and her father’s work as a professor at Stanford University. This term generated 100K+ searches as viewers looked to understand the implications of Trump’s remarks and whether they were rooted in any factual concern about Harris’ platform.
• Roe v. Wade: The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade remains a contentious issue, especially with Kamala Harris repeatedly emphasizing the need for federal protections of abortion rights during the debate. Harris has consistently framed herself as a champion of reproductive rights, vowing to codify Roe v. Wade if elected. In contrast, Trump has praised the Court’s decision and has maintained that abortion should be a states’ rights issue. This contrast led to significant search spikes as viewers looked for more information about the candidates’ positions, with over 50K+ searches for “Roe v. Wade.”
• Age-related searches: Questions about the age of both candidates also trended. With Harris at 59 and Trump at 78, voters were clearly interested in how their age might impact their leadership and policies. Search queries like “Kamala Harris age” and “how old is Trump” reached 50K+ searches apiece, indicating a curiosity about their ability to serve long-term.

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Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris: A viral moment

While the candidates sparred over issues like fracking, the Central Park 5, and Roe v. Wade, another major event was happening online. Shortly after the debate, Taylor Swift posted on Instagram, officially endorsing Kamala Harris.

That post didn’t go unnoticed by Swift’s massive fanbase—Google Trends registered over 1 million searches for “Taylor Swift endorsement” immediately after the post went live.

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A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

This spike in interest not only cemented Swift’s role as a political influencer but also highlighted the power of celebrity endorsements in modern politics. Swift’s support for Harris is especially relevant given her reach with younger voters, a demographic that could be key in the upcoming election.

So, who won last night’s presidential debate?

The data from last night’s debate paints a clear picture: Kamala Harris not only benefited from viral moments like Taylor Swift’s endorsement but also held the edge in the overall interest around key debate topics.

While search volume doesn’t equate to a definitive win, it offers a strong indication of who held the nation’s attention during and after the debate.

In a political environment where public opinion can shift in the blink of an eye, the ability to track this in real-time makes Google Trends an invaluable tool for understanding the pulse of the electorate. And based on last night’s data, it seems Kamala Harris walked away with a significant victory in the court of public opinion.

It’s also worth noting that according to an online poll of more than 225,000 people by The Oklahoman, 53% of respondents declared Kamala Harris the winner of the debate, while Donald Trump received 43% of the vote. Interestingly, 66% of voters said their opinions remained unchanged after the debate, reflecting how firm many voters’ positions were going into the night.

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Who will win the 2024 Presidential Election?

According to Seth Stephens-Davidowitz in his book Everybody Lies, Google searches indicated that Trump would beat Hillary Clinton in 2016. “Our research suggests that a person is significantly more likely to put the candidate they support first in a search that includes both candidates’ names.”

“In the previous three elections, the candidate who appeared first in more searches received the most votes. More interest-ing, the order the candidates were searched was predictive of which way a particular state would go,” he wrote.

“So did Google predict Trump” in 2016, Stephens-Davidowitz asked. “During the general election there were clues that the electorate might be a more favorable one for Trump….there were moe searches for ‘Trump Clinton’ than ‘Clinton Trump’ in key states in the Midwest that Cliton was expected to win. Indeed, Trump owed his election to the fact that he sharply outperformed his polls there.”

Looking at “kamala harris trump” searches compared to “donald trump harris” searches in the past 90 days in the United States, Harris has maintained a steady lead of two to three searches for every one search with Trump’s name first:

And looking at searches for their “kamala harris” vs. “donald trump,” in the past 90 days, a similar trend emerges with Harris edging out Trump about two searches for every one since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and she was announced as the 2024 Democratic Presidential nominee:

Get out and vote

Of course none of this matters if you don’t go to the polls. So make sure you register to vote and then actually show up on election day. It’s your civic duty as an American citizen to have a say in who represents you and makes decisions that affect your life.

In the current political climate, it’s more important than ever to exercise our right to vote. With so much at stake, from healthcare policies to immigration laws, every single vote counts. And let’s not forget our own community—fellow LGBTQ+ individuals who still face discrimination and unequal treatment in many parts of the country.

As queer individuals, we have a responsibility to stand up for ourselves and others like us by using our voices at the polls.

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