Sen. Ron Johnson: Lower Drinking Age To 18

Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson said Friday he supports lowering the drinking age to 18 years old in the United States, after admitting he didn’t know the current legal drinking age.

Johnson discussed the topic during an appearance on “The Devil’s Advocates” radio show in Milwaukee.

When asked about raising the minimum age for gun buying to 21 years old, Johnson said people old enough to join the military should have a number of other rights.

“We’re sending 18-, 19-, 20-, 21-year-olds over to Afghanistan, and they’re dying and sacrificing their lives for our freedom,” Johnson said. “They ought to be able to vote, they ought to be able to have a beer, and they ought to be able to buy a gun to hunt with as well.”

Wisconsin’s drinking age has been 21 years old since 1986. Then Gov. Tony Earl and state lawmakers raised it to prevent a major cut to federal highway funding.