REMINDER: Senate Republican Candidates Want to Gut Social Security

On the 89th anniversary of the Social Security Act being signed into law, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Tommy Garcia issued the following statement on Senate Republican candidates’ threat to Social Security and Medicare: 

“Republican Senate candidates have made clear they are a threat to Social Security and Medicare — this November, voters will hold every Republican Senate candidate accountable for their toxic agenda to raise costs and rip away the benefits our seniors have earned.”

Here are the facts about how Senate Republicans have threatened to gut Social Security and Medicare.

• Arizona: Kari Lake said, “It’s time to fire the federal government,” a proposal that would mean no Social Security payments and Medicare for Arizonans, and proposed massive cuts to the federal budget that “would gut Medicaid, Medicare, and veteran’s benefits.”

• Florida: Rick Scott wrote a plan that would put “an end to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid … and potentially more” — Scott has since “double[d] down on sunsetting even popular programs.”

• Maryland: Larry Hogan “did not dismiss” backing “a more conservative option such as Sen. Rick Scott” — who wrote a plan to sunset Social Security and Medicare — for Senate Republican Leader. 

• Michigan: Mike Rogers said the country had to rethink “what retirement looks like” and “every option’s gonna have to be on the table” when asked about his plans for Social Security.

• Montana: Tim Sheehy is “backed by a group committed to cutting both [Social Security and Medicare].”

• Nevada: Sam Brown was caught on tape saying he admired an extreme plan that would phase out Social Security and Medicare in five years – calling it a “roadmap for a better America.” 

• Ohio: Bernie Moreno said that “Social Security is not an entitlement.”

• Pennsylvania: David McCormick called programs like Social Security and Medicare “unsustainable.”

• Texas: Ted Cruz called Social Security a Ponzi scheme, backed a “benefit cut” proposal, and called to “raise the [Social Security] retirement age.”

• Wisconsin: Eric Hovde agrees with entitlement reforms that would “[cut] Medicare, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits” and called for raising the retirement age for Social Security recipients.

See also: FACT SHEET: Republican Senate Candidates’ Attacks on Social Security; “Senate Democrats Go For The Jugular on Medicare.”; Ahead of Medicare Anniversary, DSCC Launches New Ads Highlighting Senate Republicans’ Attacks on Medicare & Social Security; American Journal News: Top Republican U.S. Senate candidates call for gutting Social Security; American Journal News: Top Republican Senate candidates are endorsed by foes of Social Security and Medicare.

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