Gabbard the most-searched candidate following primary debate

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) was the most-searched presidential candidate on Google following Wednesday night’s primary debate in Detroit.

Google said the Hawaii Democrat garnered the highest number of searches out of the nine other contenders on stage, besting higher-profile candidates like Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former Vice President Joe Biden. She was also the most-searched candidate in all 50 states, according to the tech giant.

This is how America searched for the #DemDebate candidates tonight.https://t.co/I0WiP7r7bt pic.twitter.com/L5G4WU3LAg

— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) August 1, 2019

Before and after: the #DemDebate candidates in search.https://t.co/I0WiP7r7bt#CNNDebate pic.twitter.com/5wTwPbebDo

— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) August 1, 2019

Gabbard had a notable exchange with Harris when she attacked her over her record as California attorney general, accusing Harris of locking up people of color for low-level drug offenses, hiding evidence that would have freed an innocent man on death row and fighting for long prison sentences to use prisoners for cheap prison labor.

{mosads}“When you were in a position to impact these people’s lives you did not and worse yet in the case of those on death row, innocent people, you actually blocked evidence that would have freed them, until you were forced to do that, and the people who suffered under your reign as prosecutor, you owe them an apology,” Gabbard said.

Harris shot back, saying she implemented criminal justice reform during her time as California’s top cop and said it was easy for Gabbard to attack her record but that she had to tackle real world issues.

“I did the work of significantly changing the criminal justice system and I’m proud of that work, to not just give fancy speeches or be in a legislative body and give speeches on the floor but actually doing the work,” Harris said. 

Heading into Wednesday’s debate Gabbard had lagged behind several other candidates in polling and fundraising and was hoping for a breakout moment to supercharge her dormant campaign.