MSNBC’s live coverage of the GOP debate (8 to 9:30pm) delivered 1,762,000 viewers with 561,000 in the 25-54 demo on Thursday.

“While those were stellar numbers for the network, they were well short of the audience that flocked to watch the Dems duel a week earlier,” MediaWeek notes. “The April 26 Democratic debate delivered 2.26 million total viewers and 806,000 adults 25-54.”

Pre-show coverage from 7 to 8pm delivered 183,000 demo and 568,000 viewers. The post-show from 9:33 to 10pm had 391,000 demo and 1,124,000 viewers. From 10 to 11pm, the net had 248,000 demo and 663,000 viewers.

In primetime, MSNBC was #1 in the 25-54 demo, delivering 431,000 compared to FNC’s 419,000 and CNN’s 206,000. The debate also boosted MSNBC in total day, bringing the net within 16,000 demo viewers of CNN…