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2026 Delegate to the US House of Representatives Candidates
AARP
Below are the responses from the candidates on the ballot for the Delegate to the US House of Representatives seat in the 2026 Primary election. The question precedes each group of responses. Responses are listed in alphabetical order for each party and are identified by their initials. Candidates were limited to 500 characters for each response.
AARP
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
TH- I will fight to expand Social Security benefits. Those benefits have not come close to keeping up with inflation and should at least be tied to it. I strongly oppose privatization. I would abolish the regressive payroll tax and increase taxes (including capital gains) on the wealthy. I am the only candidate with the necessary federal experience, including working for eight years for Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and in the executive branch of government, to deliver for D.C. residents.
GJ- I would support legislation to rase the payroll limitation cap so that higher earners begin paying into social security above a certain threshold.
BP- Social Security is an earned entitlement and a promise to our seniors - and I’ll never compromise on my support for it. I support lifting the payroll tax cap so wealthy earners contribute their fair share. In Congress, I'll push for solutions that protect benefits, adjust the taxable wage base, and reject any attempt to privatize or reduce what Americans have earned.
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.
KZ- Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire
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
TH- I would support such legislation as the Credit for Caring Act, which would offset the costs of caregiving expenses, and the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, which would provide paid family leave. I also support having a strong (and subsidized) public option for healthcare for everybody who does not receive insurance from an employer. I fought to preserve D.C.’s Medicaid reimbursement rate from Republican attacks, which is important to many caregivers.
GJ- My father, a widower, lived with me during the last years of his life, ultimately receiving in home hospice care. I was fortunate that both my parents had saved for retirement and had resources to cover in daily, in home assistance. Once we did this my father's and my family's quality of life drastically improved. I believe Medicare should be expanded to cover these costs for seniors.
BP- DC is home to tens of thousands of caregivers, and they deserve a government who finally recognizes their contributions. I'll fight for a federal tax credit to offset out-of-pocket caregiving costs, expanded respite care access, and paid family and medical leave so no one has to choose between a paycheck and caring for their own loved ones, after they’ve dedicated their lives to caring for ours.
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.
KZ- Candidate did not respond to the questionnaire
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.
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