DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Television Iowa Capitol Bureau) – 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.

Social Security reserves will run out in 11 years if Congress doesn’t act. That means recipients would only get 83% of their full benefits. 50% of seniors get half of their monthly income from Social Security. One in four seniors rely on Social Security for 90% of their monthly income.

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.

—

Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Television-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV or on X/Twitter @ConnerReports.

Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Randi Henderson, the head coach at Division III Washington University, and North Carolina assistant Sean Sullivan have been hired as women’s basketball assistants at Iowa, coach Jan Jensen announced Wednesday.

Henderson was 103-54 with four NCAA tournament appearances in seven seasons at the St. Louis school. She also led the Bears to four top-three finishes in the University Athletic Association.

Henderson also was an assistant at Charlotte for two years, head coach at Coe College in Iowa for nine years and head coach at Minnesota-Morris for one year. The Cedar Falls native was a three-year starter for Iowa from 1998-2001.

Sullivan was director of player personnel, development, and recruiting operations at North Carolina for two seasons and was promoted to assistant last season. Sullivan also has worked at Pittsburgh and Penn State. He also will hold the title of general manager with the Hawkeyes.

He was a women’s basketball manager for four years when he attended Iowa and later was the team’s video coordinator.

Henderson and Sullivan filled openings created by the retirements of head coach Lisa Bluder and assistant Jenni Fitzgerald after last season.

Jensen, who had been Bluder’s top assistant for two decades, was named head coach May 14. She took over a program that has reached the NCAA championship game two straight years.

The Saints beat the Iowa Cubs 6-5 on the road Tuesday in Des Moines.

The Saints answered the Cubs’ two-run third inning with three runs in the 4th. When Iowa added three in the fifth, the Saints added another three in the 6th, ending the game’s scoring early.

Tuesday’s games began the second half of the season, with the Saints standing fifth in the Triple-A International league.

They meet Iowa for game two of the series on Wednesday at 12:08 p.m.