During an election year – especially a presidential one – people here in Texas and across the nation are paying closer attention to politics than usual. As the world around us changes, so do policy priorities for candidates running for office and the voters who will elect them. There’s no shortage of issues Texas families are paying attention to this year, from the cost of living to foreign policy to our southern border. We want to hear how the candidates vying for the desk in the Oval Office or a seat in the United States Senate are going to improve our quality of life, and that includes how they plan to protect Social Security.

Every American regardless of age should be concerned with their retirement security, the cornerstone of which is Social Security. This program was established to create a path for Americans to be able to retire comfortably after years of hard work and paying into the program. Electing lawmakers who are prepared to protect Social Security – something that hardworking Americans should be able to rely on to maintain their way of life past a certain age – is the best way to help ensure this program is protected for not only those approaching retirement age, but for generations to come.

Of course, there is a historic presidential election this year where Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have been neck and neck in the polls. Voters across America have been kept on their toes with the way this presidential election has unfolded, but each candidate is now buckling down and tightening up their messaging to make sure their stances on the issues are clear. One thing that there has been no question about so far is both Harris’ and Trump’s commitments to protecting Social Security. Time and time again, they have reassured whatever audience was listening that they plan to protect this program that Americans rely on, claiming they are the candidate who will be most effective at doing this. They likely will both be smart enough to continue singing this same tune from now until November 5th if they want to occupy the White House.

Here in Texas, we know Senator Ted Cruz as a strong conservative and constitutionalist over his two terms in the U.S. Senate. He is currently defending his seat against Democrat Colin Allred, in a race that is getting increasingly tight as Election Day approaches. Colin Allred recently penned an op-ed criticizing Senator Cruz for not being a strong enough champion for this program that 4.6 million Texans utilize. While his comments were made several years ago, Senator Cruz criticized Social Security in 2016 and has yet to really walk back the statement in stronger support of the program. Allred has made clear his support for Social Security and Medicare, and if Senator Cruz wants to win reelection he should take this opportunity to push back against his opponents’ claims. A very motivated voter group in Texas will be paying close attention.

Ensuring the candidates for president as well as the Senate are going to be on the right side of Social Security should they be elected is paramount for one of the nation’s key voter demographics – Americans over the age of fifty. Social Security should be something the Americans who have spent their lives working hard so they can retire can rely on, and these candidates must reassure voters that they are the ones who will get that done in Washington, D.C. should they be elected.

Harvey Hilderbran served in the Texas House from 1989-2015.