February Saw Google Searches Intensify as the Democratic Debates and ABC's 'The Bachelor' Near End

By Kate Perschke

March 2, 2020



What is America’s most dramatic, competitive, high stakes primetime television event? If you guessed either The Bachelor or the Democratic Debates, you would be correct. The Bachelor is nearing the end of this season’s run on primetime, ending in a two-part finale on March 9th and 10th speculated by Reality Steve, the franchise’s most prominent blogger. The final democratic debate is March 15th, with the democratic primaries concluding in June. Both shows have captivated audiences, motivating them to think, tweet, and google.



The democratic primary has spiked voter engagement through Google searches



According to an analysis of Google Trends data, the month of February saw a close race between candidates President Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg, and Elizabeth Warren. Trump had the most searches during the first week of February – when the Senate impeachment trial led to acquittal – except for February 4 where Sanders and Buttigieg took the lead due to the release of partial results from the Iowa Caucus. Trump took the lead in Google searches once more during this month, when he attended the Daytona 500 race on February 16th and took a lap in his presidential limousine.

Bernie Sanders, US Senator from Vermont, has held a lead in Google searches since February 8th (excluding the Daytona 500 on the 16th) into March. Unsurprisingly, February Google searches of Sanders had the greatest concentration in his constituency of Vermont, as seen in the map below. Sanders has received 60 delegates thus far, needing 1,991 to win the nomination. Trailing Sanders is Biden, 53 delegates, and Buttigieg, 26 delegates, who dropped his presidential campaign over the weekend.



While the data does not predict who will be successful in the coming debates, it does reflect the level of voter engagement following the success of each candidate’s performance. You can see the trends in Google searches of the candidates in the interactive chart below by clicking here. 



Searches of The Bachelor contestants surge every Monday night in February for the “most dramatic episode yet”

“The most dramatic season of The Bachelor, yet” – a line notoriously said by the franchise’s host, Chris Harrison, every season. Peter Weber, 28 year old Delta Airlines pilot and this year’s bachelor, has had a season full of turbulence with little smooth flying. The final three contestants, Hannah Ann Sluss, Madison Prewett, and Victoria Fuller, continue to be creators and victims of drama since the season began on January 6th. 

The month of February saw a close race among the final three contestants in Google searches, according to an analysis of Google Trends data. The season’s villain, Fuller, of Virginia Beach, VA, has taken the lead of most searches for the majority of the month. From modeling a “White Lives Matter” campaign to DWIs to rumors of breaking up marriages, Fuller has captured the attention of Bachelor fans and proves the show’s producers take no mercy when it comes to making reality television.

Victoria F is not the only cast member of season 24 that Bachelor Nation is frustrated with. Many fans have critiqued Pilot Pete’s judgement and readiness during his time as the bachelor. The last week of February saw Weber profess his love to all three remaining contestants during the fantasy suites. Following Weber’s dates with Sluss and Fuller, Prewett of Auburn, AL left the show uncertain if her relationship with the bachelor could be mended.