Ken Paxton’s Stance on Social Security Cuts Revealed in Leaked Audio

Ken Paxton’s Remarks Reveal Potential Cuts to Federal Benefits

In a recent development, audio obtained by the Texas Tribune has surfaced, revealing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton’s openness to cutting essential federal programs like Social Security and Medicare. These comments were made at a private fundraising event attended by lobbyists last month.

When questioned about his strategy for tackling the national deficit, Paxton responded, “Making some reasonable cuts to mandatory spending—you’re gonna have to do it. Or there is no solution. That’s just the reality. We have to suck it up.”

Mandatory spending is a term used to describe federal expenditures that are legally required, unlike discretionary spending, which is determined by Congress annually. Key components of mandatory spending include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

A poll conducted by Navigator Research in the previous month indicates a significant opposition to reducing these programs. The poll showed that 89% of Democrats, 53% of Republicans, and 78% of independents are against such cuts.

Supporters of reducing Social Security argue that it is essential to ensure the program’s sustainability, as the Social Security trust fund, which guarantees full retirement and survivor benefits, is expected to deplete by 2032.

In contrast, Paxton’s Democratic rival, state Rep. James Talarico, has proposed to maintain the trust fund by marginally increasing Social Security taxes on individuals earning over $400,000 annually.

Paxton has endorsed the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which slashes Medicaid funding by $1 trillion to provide tax benefits to affluent individuals and large corporations. This decision is projected to leave about 200,000 Texans without health insurance.

Despite these reductions, the OBBB is not expected to be deficit neutral. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the law is projected to increase the deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next ten years.

Ryan Martin, a spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign, stated, “Paxton has no problem adding trillions to the debt to cut taxes for billionaires, but wants cuts when it comes to protecting seniors’ retirement benefits and healthcare.”

Recent polling by Beacon Research places Talarico slightly ahead of Paxton, with a two-point lead.