NRCC - National Republican Congressional Committee

06/27/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/27/2024 08:37

National Democrats’ failed candidate strikes again!

National Democrats' failed candidate strikes again!

June 27, 2024

National Democrats' failed candidate strikes again!

In a desperate attempt to spew lies and distortions about Representative Zach Nunn's stance on Social Security and Medicare, Lanon Baccam held a train wreck of a press conference about the topic, hid from the cameras and couldn't even answer a single question about what his proposed solution would be when he was asked repeatedly.

Keep in mind: This isn't the first time Lanon Baccam has attempted to hide from his radical record.

"Lanon Baccam continues to embarrass himself and national Democrats as he is clearly the JV recruit from Iowa. Baccam can't offer any real solutions and instead resorts to spreading baseless claims about Representative Zach Nunn's position because he's desperate, weak and too extreme for Iowa." - NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella

Read the report and listen to the audio here or see excerpts below.

Challenger bashes Iowa Congressman's Social Security plan, but offers no alternatives
KCRG
Conner Hendricks
June 26, 2024


An Iowa candidate for Congress is alleging the incumbent congressman will do things to hurt the Social Security system, but he's not offering any of his own solutions.

[…]

Democratic congressional candidate Lanon Baccam, who is running against incumbent republican Zach Nunn in Iowa's 3rd congressional district, held a press call Wednesday with the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and the Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans. Baccam told reporters Nunn would raise the retirement age and cut benefits.

Baccam was asked repeatedly what his solution is.

"I'm not going to cut benefits here. Where Zach Nunn is, he is trying to shutter these offices. That's going to limit the program delivery. He's trying to raise the retirement age. That's going to hurt folks who work for a living. These are clear distinctions here for what he's trying to do with his position on Social Security versus mine. There's no question I'm focusing in on and paying attention to Americans and Iowans who work for a living on this campaign and we need a champion for them in Congress and I will be that person," Baccam said.

My colleague Dave Price and I both followed up and Baccam was unable to provide specific solutions.


"Hi, it's Dave Price. So, are you keeping the status quo then? Are you not suggesting any changes?"

"There's no question. We cannot cut this program. I will oppose any cuts to this program especially for our seniors who have paid into these programs for many years. They're entitled to these benefits. They should be able to retire with dignity. I will not cut any of these programs that have been proposed by Zach Nunn and his groups," Baccam said.

"This is Conner Hendricks. Do you actually have any proposed solutions though to this? You know, you say you're not going to cut and you say that Nunn's a threat but do you have specific solutions for this?"

"The first thing here is we need to protect it. Zach Nunn currently is prepared to cut Social Security, to raise the retirement age, to reduce the amount of offices or hours of operation like limiting the ability for Social Security to be able to deliver on their program. We at the very minimum have to make sure that we protect this program and Zach Nunn is threatening even that and so I think that's critically important here for folks to understand and appreciate that Zach Nunn is not going to maintain even the status quo here. He is trying to cut this program. He will do it if given the chance."

Congressman Nunn's office tells us that no, he does not favor raising the retirement age. He also says he's never voted to close or reduce hours Social Security offices.

"When the government created Social Security and Medicare, it made a promise to retirees. I am 100% committed to protecting that promise and strongly oppose any cuts to these programs. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply false. I am actively leading bipartisan solutions to protect these critical programs from out-of-touch politicians in D.C.," Nunn said.

We also asked Nunn what solutions for Social Security he'd support. His office says he'd support reforms that root out waste, fraud, and abuse by bureaucrats.

Read the full report here.