Social Security becomes Senate election flashpoint: 81% of voters prefer candidates who promise to prevent benefit cuts

The survey covered 2,500 registered voters across five states — Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas — where Senate races are being closely watched.

Social Security has emerged as a major concern for voters in several closely contested US Senate races, with a large majority saying they would be more likely to back candidates who offer a plan to prevent future benefit cuts, according to a new survey from the nonpartisan Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

The survey covered 2,500 registered voters across five states — Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas — where Senate races are being closely watched. It found that voters broadly want lawmakers to address Social Security's long-term finances rather than avoid the issue.

Here is what the survey found and why Social Security is becoming an important issue in the 2026 Senate races.

Why is Social Security an issue?

Social Security provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits to millions of Americans. But its finances face a long-term imbalance between incoming revenues and scheduled benefits.

According to the 2026 Social Security Trustees Report, the programme's primary retirement trust fund is projected to be depleted in 2032.

If Congress does not change the law before then, Social Security would not simply stop paying benefits. Instead, payments would be limited to the revenue available to the programme. The Peterson Foundation's survey describes this as an immediate 22% reduction in benefits for beneficiaries.

The projected shortfall has made Social Security a politically significant issue because senators elected in 2026 could still be in office when the trust fund reaches the projected depletion date.

What did the survey find?

The survey found that 81% of voters said they would be more likely to support a candidate who has a plan to prevent automatic Social Security benefit cuts.

The findings suggest that, among the voters surveyed, simply promising to leave the programme unchanged was less popular than offering a plan to address its projected financing problem.

Do voters want Congress to act?

Yes, according to the survey.

77% said lawmakers who promise not to touch Social Security are making the problem worse and agreed that delaying action makes the problem harder to fix.

85% said it is more important than ever for lawmakers to fix Social Security.

88% said current lawmakers should talk more about the programme's financial problems.

91% said they support Social Security reforms.

The Peterson Foundation said majorities across party lines supported potential reforms.

Why do the five states matter?

The survey focused on Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, all of which have competitive Senate races, according to the foundation.

The Senate plays a central role in determining whether legislation addressing Social Security can pass Congress. As a result, the positions taken by candidates in these races could become relevant to the debate over the programme's future.

How was the survey conducted?

The online survey was conducted jointly by Global Strategy Group, a Democratic polling firm, and North Star Opinion Research, a Republican polling firm.

The poll included 2,500 registered voters:

Georgia — 500 voters

Michigan — 500 voters

North Carolina — 500 voters

Ohio — 500 voters

Texas — 500 voters

The survey was conducted from August 20 to August 27, 2026, and has a reported margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points.