Fox News leads cable coverage of New Hampshire primary, crushes CNN and MSNBC's combined primetime viewership

Fox News Channel was the most-watched cable news network as the New Hampshire primary unfolded on Tuesday, crushing CNN and MSNBC's combined viewership in primetime. 

During special coverage of the first-in-the-nation primary, Fox News reached roughly 4 million total viewers, with 521,000 in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 age demo, during the 8 p.m. ET hour, according to data from Nielsen Media Research, as former President Trump was declared the winner in the GOP contest. Meanwhile, MSNBC trailed in second with 1.98 million total viewers and CNN came in third with 1.25 million total viewers, 278,000 and 284,000 viewers in the key demo, respectively. 

Throughout the night from 8-11 p.m. ET, Fox News averaged 3.3 million total viewers with 453,000 in the key demo while MSNBC averaged 1.75 million total viewers and 237,000 in the demo and CNN averaged less than one million total viewers with only 246,000 in the demo. 

Special coverage was spearheaded by Fox News' Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. 

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Fox News Channel also dominated cable news coverage of last week's Iowa caucuses, averaging 2.8 million total viewers from 8-11 p.m. ET compared to 1.1 million for MSNBC and a dismal average audience of 688,000 for CNN. Fox News more than quadrupled CNN’s audience and doubled MSNBC’s viewership. 

Trump made history again on Tuesday as the first non-incumbent candidate in the modern era to win both the New Hampshire and Iowa contests. The former president earned 54% support among Granite state  primary voters while his remaining opponent, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, exceeded expectations with roughly 43% of the vote. Haley has vowed to carry on with her presidential bid and campaign in her home state of South Carolina as polls show her trailing behind the GOP frontrunner. 

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On the Democratic side, President Biden won his unprecedented write-in campaign, which was the result of a dust-up between the DNC and New Hampshire. The DNC had designated South Carolina to be its first-in-the-nation primary, while New Hampshire carried on with its contest abiding by state law declaring the Granite State the first primary in the country. 

Also earning attention was Biden's leading primary challenger, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who received roughly 20% of the Democratic vote.

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.