2026 Delegate to the US House of Representatives Candidates

Social Security is a promise to the American people, and voters expect that promise to be kept. However, without action, Social Security faces a funding shortfall. The good news is that Congress has many tools in its toolbox to fix it.

Question: If elected, how would you work to protect and strengthen Social Security for older Americans, their children, and grandchildren?

Democratic Party

RW- Social Security is a sacred pact that helps fight poverty and preserve dignity. I will protect and strengthen it by opposing any cuts to guaranteed benefits, including raising the retirement age or reducing cost-of-living adjustments. I support lifting the payroll tax cap so the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share on all income. I also support strengthening benefits for seniors, survivors, and people with disabilities, so this promise is kept for current and future generations.

Republican Party

DR- Social Security is a promise we must keep. For DC seniors, it’s a lifeline. I will protect benefits, oppose raising the retirement age, and ensure dignity in retirement. We must strengthen the system through accountability—cutting waste, improving efficiency, and managing it responsibly. The best long-term fix is a strong economy that boosts wages and participation. We need fiscally responsible reforms that protect seniors without raising taxes or cutting benefits.

Green Party

KF- Social Security is the most effective anti-poverty program in US history. But Trump stated that we should prioritize military funding because the US can’t afford to fund programs like Social Security during war.

Unlike other candidates, I don’t have to wait to be elected to defend Social Security. I co-authored an article with Nancy Altman, founder of Social Security Works, to safeguard the economic security of those dependent, now or in the future, and maintain it as a vehicle of social justice.

When a parent, spouse or other older loved one needs care, family members, friends, and neighbors step up to help their loved ones live independently at home—where they want to be. These 63 million Americans, including 89,000 District residents, spend countless hours driving to doctors’ appointments, managing medications, helping with bathing and dressing, and much more. These hardworking family caregivers are often unpaid and overlooked. On average, they spend $7,200 a year out of their own pockets, dipping into savings, taking on debt, or cutting back on essentials like food and medication.

Question: If elected, how would you help family caregivers save money and time so they can continue caring for their loved ones?

Democratic Party

RW- I will support family caregivers by expanding tax credits and direct financial relief to offset out-of-pocket costs for transportation, medications, and home care. I support paid family leave, respite care, and stronger Medicaid long-term care services so families can keep loved ones safely at home. Supporting caregivers is more humane and less costly than forcing families into hospitalization or institutionalization.

Republican Party

DR- Family caregivers are unsung heroes and DC families deserve real support. I’ll focus on practical solutions: targeted tax relief to ease out-of-pocket costs, cutting red tape so caregivers can access help quickly, and demanding accountability so programs work efficiently. I’ll also push for better coordination of services and clear information so families aren’t left navigating alone. My goal is simple—reduce financial strain, save time, and ensure government supports caregivers with dignity.

Green Party

KF- Our elders are penalized by Medicaid whenever they transfer assets for less than fair market value within 60 months of applying for assisted living or nursing home benefits. This penalty effectively erases everything they have worked their entire lives for with a period of ineligibility during which Medicaid will not pay for care and require the senior to pay out-of-pocket expenses. This “look-back period” must be eliminated.