Perhaps the image of Sen. Hillary Clinton slamming a shot of Crown Royal during the primaries threw people off. But it shouldn’t have. First of all, how could you be a politician, let alone the first female running for President, without hitting the hard stuff? Second, if you think Democrats are soft wussies who sip Pinot Grigio with their steaks, you might want to check out the recent Gallup poll on the subject.

According to the poll, it is Republicans who are 10 percent more likely than Democrats to reach for a glass of wine. Democrats do prefer the hard stuff, 26 percent over Republicans’ 17 percent. Thirty six percent of Republicans chose wine as their libation of choice, compared to 26 percent of Democrats.

Beer, the great equalizer, was enjoyed evenly by both parties - 41 percent each.

So the question is: Why do you think Republicans prefer wine? My guess is cash and fancy cellars, although we all know you don’t need either to be a wine enthusiast these days. But enthusiasts in Republican states such as Dallas and Tulsa generally do.

Post your hypotheses. I’m curious.