Politics

Republicans are driving a historic low in alcohol consumption

A man holds up a beer at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July 2024.
A man holds up a beer at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July 2024. Win McNamee/Getty Images
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The number of Republicans who say they drink has plummeted by nearly 20 percentage points in just two years.

That's according to new polling from Gallup, which found that just 54% of US adults say that they drink — the lowest level since the firm began polling the issue in 1939.

The percentage of Republicans who say they drink alcohol fell from 65% in 2023 to 46% in 2025 — a decline of 19 percentage points.

By contrast, consumption levels have held relatively steady among Democrats, falling from 64% in 2023 to 61% in 2025. Among independents, there's been a six percentage point decline.

According to Gallup, there's been little difference between the parties when it comes to alcohol consumption — until now.

Interestingly, Republicans are less likely than Democrats to view moderate drinking as unhealthy. 58% of Democrats say so, while just 44% of Republicans agree.

Overall, an all-time high of 53% say that moderate drinking is unhealthy.

It's not clear why Republicans are drinking less than Democrats, but President Donald Trump — like President Joe Biden before him — is a teetotaler. He has said that he's avoided alcohol in part due to the struggles of his late brother, Fred.

Alcohol consumption as a whole has fallen in recent years, sliding from a high of 67% of US adults in 2022. The trend has extended to Silicon Valley, where nine young founders recently told Business Insider that they had cut back on drinking — or stopped altogether.

The Gallup poll included 1,002 US adults and was conducted between July 7 and 21.

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Bryan Metzger was a senior politics reporter covering Congress, money in politics, and their intersection with business and tech. He worked at Business Insider from July 2021 to May 2026.Previously, he covered money in politics and elections in his home state for New Mexico in Depth. He's also written for POLITICO Magazine.Featured works:
Madison Hoff's face on a gray background
Madison Hoff
Madison Hoff is a reporter on Business Insider’s economy team. She covers the labor market, inflation, spending, and other data. In addition to covering new estimates and trends, her workforce reporting includes career pivots, job searching, and side hustles.She also covers downsizing, particularly people selling their houses to pursue RV living. She has also reported on how much teachers spend out of pocket and what it’s like being a caregiver.Her stories often cover the state of the economy, what experts are saying, and how people are navigating the workplace or their careers.Previously, she was a junior reporter and data editorial fellow on the Strategy team.