Social Security reform plans could sway voters in battleground Senate races, survey finds

Social Security has become a major issue for voters in several closely watched US Senate races, according to a survey by the nonpartisan Peter G. Peterson Foundation. The survey, which polled 2,500 registered voters across Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas, found that 81% of respondents said they would back a candidate who proposed a plan to prevent automatic Social Security benefit cuts, with many preferring some form of reform over leaving the program unchanged.

The projected depletion of the Social Security trust fund in 2032, which could lead to a 22% reduction in benefits, has made the issue politically significant, with 77% of voters believing that lawmakers who avoid touching the program would only make the problem worse. The survey received support from majorities across party lines, indicating that addressing Social Security's long-term finances should be a priority for candidates running in the 2026 Senate races.