Trump tops Google searches ahead of debate

At least on Google Search, interest in Donald Trump has not waned since the first GOP presidential primary debate was held last month.

Trump was the top candidate searched for on Google by users in the most counties in advance on Wednesday night’s debate in California, according to data released by the company. He held the same position before the first debate in August.

The data only shows which candidates are the subject of searches and does not indicate what the users searching for a candidate thinks about them.

Interest in Trump since the first debate, held August 6, was particularly consistant in the Southwest, but he also continued to dominate search histories elsewhere.

The data also shows that since the last debate, Google searches for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) have faded in his home state — where he was previously the most searched-for candidate in most counties. Trump became the most searched candidate in place of Walker in over 30 counties in the state. Walker became the second-most searched for candidate in many of those counties.

Ben Carson, the conservative neurosurgeon who has experienced a rise in the polls that has placed him within striking distance of Trump, was also the second-most searched for candidate in many counties around the country.

Trump has surprised many with his resiliancy as a canididate. In the first debate, he got into skirmishes with other candidates and the moderators — but those did little to hurt his poll numbers. He is in first place in virtually every national poll of the Republican race.