Older voters want candidates who will protect Social Security, poll finds. However, the parties are tied for their support

Voters 50 and older will have a strong influence in the November election.

And politicians looking to win their vote would be wise to emphasize personal economic issues that affect them, especially Social Security, according to a new AARP poll of likely voters from the 44 most competitive congressional districts.

When asked a question — «How concerned are you about your personal financial situation?» 63% of all voters and 62% of voters age 50 and older checked the worry box, according to the bipartisan poll conducted earlier this month by Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research.

«It’s a significant majority of voters who are concerned about their personal financial situation and why economic issues will play such a large role in this election,» said Bob Ward, partner at Fabrizio Ward, during a presentation of the results of on thursday.

Meanwhile, for older voters, 50 and older, Social Security is a top economic concern, the results found.

The program’s trust funds are at risk of being depleted in the 2030s, at which point there will be cuts to benefits across the board, unless Congress acts.

When asked how important the health of Social Security is in determining their vote, 80% of voters — age 50 and older — said it is either extremely important or very important.

The issue also ranks high as a priority for voters who identify as Democrats, Republicans or independents.

«Democrats only have a three-point lead on Social Security right now, so the parties are essentially tied,» said Jeff Liszt, partner at Impact Research.

«Social Security is really a weird thing,» he added.

Many voters said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who will protect Social Security, he noted.

Another issue – «taking care of the family» was also listed as a high priority with voters in the older group. To that point, 80% of the group said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who would provide support for family caregivers to help seniors live independently as they age, and 74% said they would support a candidate who would offer tax credits. to help cover the costs of family care.

While President Joe Biden has vowed not to cut Social Security benefits, former President Donald Trump said in an interview on CNBC in March that he would reevaluate entitlement spending, which could include benefit cuts. Democrats in Congress have proposed plans to make Social Security benefits more generous, which would be paid for by taxing the wealthy.

Social Security advocacy organizations, including Social Security Works and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, recently endorsed Biden.

It was only the second time in the history of the National Committee that it endorsed a presidential candidate.

«We broke precedent in 2020 because we believed Joe Biden would fight for America’s seniors — and protect Social Security and Medicare,» Max Richtman, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

«We didn’t trust Donald Trump to protect any programs or support other beloved American institutions,» he said. «Four years later, those beliefs have been vindicated beyond question.»

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When the full vote was taken in 44 competitive precincts, Trump led with 42% among voters age 18 and older, while Biden had 37% and Robert Kennedy, Jr. came in with 11% support.

However, older voters, ages 50 to 64, are more likely to support Trump, while voters age 65 and older are more likely to lean toward Biden.

Congressional Democrats and Republicans are tied at 45% support in 44 districts. Voters ages 50 to 64 are the only group that favors the GOP, by a 13-point margin. Voters age 65 and older plan to vote Democratic by five percentage points, the AARP poll found.

«Everybody’s focused on the presidential race, but it’s very clear who’s going to control the House this year,» Ward said.