‘Democrats feel like they’ve got more reason to drink’: KIRO hosts analyze data showing partisan split in record-low alcohol use

Americans are drinking less than at any point in the last 87 years, with just 54% of U.S. adults saying they drink alcohol, matching last year’s all-time low. The percentage has fallen sharply from 62% in 2023 to 58% in 2024 and has held at 54% for two consecutive years.

KIRO fill-in host Jim Dever broke down the numbers on “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio, noting that 13% of Americans said they sometimes drink too much, which is also a record low, and that 17% have substituted non-alcoholic beverages for alcohol in the past year.

Dever said the rise of mocktails and non-alcoholic options has made it easier for people to skip drinking in social settings without the questions.

“When I don’t drink alcohol, they’re like, ‘What, are you pregnant?'” Dever said. “There are a lot of alternatives, which is great. Makes things a lot different.”

KIRO fill-in host Angela Poe Russell questioned whether the survey numbers are even accurate, pointing out that people routinely undercount their drinking to their own doctors.

“When your doctor asks you how many drinks you have a week, do you answer it correctly?” Angela said. “I answer it honestly, because I drink so little, instead of putting once a week, I just put never because I rarely drink. I think I’m allergic.”

Drinking down among Republicans, not Democrats

Dever pointed to a partisan split in the data that he found amusing. Drinking has fallen sharply among Republicans and independents since 2023, more than 10 percentage points, while Democrat drinking has barely budged, dropping just 1%.

“All I can attribute that to is Democrats feel like they’ve got a lot more reason to drink these days. Maybe that’s what it is,” Dever said.

Angela agreed with the theory.

“I think you could be right, and the theory is that Republicans are like, ‘Whew, we’re good,'” Angela said.

“Yeah, ‘We’re good for now, everything’s going great, we got everything we need right now,'” Dever responded.

Dever also noted that beer continues to hold a narrow lead as the beverage of choice among drinkers, but wine and liquor are closing the gap.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to John Curley weekday afternoons from 3 – 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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