Tonight, eight Republican candidates will square off at the Reagan Library for the 2011 presidential primary debate. This forum should generate a lot of interest, given that no candidate has emerged as a clear frontrunner. While the presidential hopefuls research one another, seeking an edge in the debate, viewers at home are conducting their own research, in hopes of finding a candidate whose values they can agree with.
In a recent study, Chitika Insights reviewed one week’s worth of U.S/Canadian traffic to see which republican candidates garner the most online search interest.
The candidates which commanded the most interest were Perry, Ron Paul, and Michele Bachmann. Perry captured the most search volume, taking 38% of the share. Bachmann and Paul were neck and neck, making up 27% and 24% respectively.
Mitt Romney, who is considered by many to be a “favorite” republican candidate, only generated 5% search volume share.
One of the more interesting observations resulted when Sarah Palin was included in the search volume study. Palin makes up over 67% of searches amongst the candidates, despite the fact that she has yet to announce her candidacy.
Stay tuned for upcoming Insights updates in which we highlight the interest levels and shifting trends among the potential Republican presidential candidates.
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