Support Social Security Always

As a long-term Oregonian and Certified Financial Planner with more than two decades of experience guiding hundreds of our state’s retirees and elderly families through the complex maze of personal income, retirement planning, and tax issues, I have seen firsthand how Social Security is not just a government program—it is the bedrock of dignity and security for our seniors.

That is why I am running for the United States Senate as a Republican with one clear promise: Social Security will be protected, strengthened, and expanded under my watch. Oregon seniors will never have to fear cuts, and they should dismiss any fear-mongering from some Democrats who suggest otherwise.

I have always supported Social Security payments, and I will fight to make them better as your U.S. Senator.

My work as a CFP has put me at kitchen tables across Oregon—from Medford to Pendleton—helping retirees stretch fixed incomes against rising costs. I have witnessed the quiet frustration of seniors who discover that a portion of their hard-earned Social Security benefits is taxed by the federal government. This is not right.

Social Security is not “extra income” that should be clawed back through the tax code; it is money workers already paid into the system during decades of labor. That is why I will introduce and fight for legislation to make Social Security payments completely tax-free—not merely offering limited credits that still leave seniors navigating a confusing tax trap, but true, full tax relief so every dollar reaches the people who earned it.

Inflation under the Biden administration has hit Oregon seniors especially hard. Food prices have surged more than 20 percent, and the cost of everyday essentials continues to climb. A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that merely keeps pace with government statistics is no longer enough when real-world grocery bills and utility rates tell a different story.

Seniors deserve more than catch-up—they deserve a real boost.

As your Senator, I will propose an immediate $500 per month increase in Social Security payments for every current and future recipient. This increase will be permanent, and future COLAs will be calculated on the new, higher benefit level so the gain is never eroded.

Our seniors built this country; they should not be forced to choose between medicine and meals because Washington failed to control inflation. I will also deliver long-overdue tax relief on two other fronts that directly affect Oregon families.

First, I will work to eliminate the federal estate tax, which unfairly penalizes families who have already paid taxes on their earnings and savings. Second, I will fight to repeal Oregon’s inheritance tax so that the legacy Oregonians leave behind—whether it is a family farm, a small business, or a modest home—stays in the hands of their children and grandchildren instead of being seized by government bureaucrats.

These are not abstract policy ideas; they are promises rooted in the real stories I have heard from Oregon retirees who worry that the fruits of a lifetime of work will be taken away.

Let me be crystal clear: Russ McAlmond will never support any reduction in Social Security benefits. Not now, not ever.

My record as a financial planner and my values as a Republican who believes in limited government and personal responsibility are consistent and unshakable. Social Security is a solemn promise made to American workers, and I intend to keep that promise stronger than ever.

Oregon seniors have given us their best years. It is time we gave them the security, dignity, and peace of mind they deserve. I ask for your vote so that together we can make Social Security tax-free, provide the $500 monthly increase our retirees urgently need, protect family legacies from estate and inheritance taxes, and ensure that no senior in our state ever has to live in fear of losing what they earned.

Thank you for trusting me with this fight. Together, we will put Oregon seniors first in the United States Senate.

Sincerely,
Russ McAlmond
Republican Candidate for United States Senate