Iowans need details on Social Security plans, poll says

DES MOINES - Nearly all likely Iowa caucusgoers agree the presidential candidates should lay out a plan to preserve Social Security, and many want to hear more from the races' leaders, according to a poll published Thursday and commissioned by a national retirees' organization.

The poll, which was commissioned by AARP and conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, showed that more than 90 percent of likely caucusgoers think it is important for presidential candidates to lay out a plan for Social Security and that it is important the next president and Congress take action to make the federal retirement income program financially sound.

Projections indicate the Social Security trust fund reserves will be depleted in roughly 20 years. If those projections hold up and no action is taken by the federal government, once the trust fund reserves are depleted, the program will not be able to pay out full benefits.

Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses are Feb. 1.

'Time's running out for the candidates to tell Iowans how they stand on the issue,” said Kent Sovern, AARP's Iowa state director. 'By overwhelming majorities, Iowans want the candidates to tell them how they're going to update Social Security for them and for future generations.”

In addition to agreeing the candidates need a plan for Social Security, many poll respondents said they want to hear - from the races' leaders, in particular - more details from those plans.

Forty-five percent said they need to hear more from Donald Trump, and 41 percent each said they need more from Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. Those three are leading the expansive field of Republican candidates in Iowa polls.

For the remainder of the Republican candidates, between 32 percent and 39 percent of respondents said they wanted more information on Social Security.

In the Democratic race, more than half of poll respondents said they would like to hear more from Hillary Clinton, who until recently has been leading most polls in Iowa.

Forty-seven percent want more from Martin O'Malley, and 38 percent want more from Bernie Sanders.

The poll surveyed 1,007 likely Iowa caucusgoers - 504 self-identified Republicans and 503 Democrats - from Jan. 4-8. The margins of error are 4.5 percentage points for party-specific results and 3.1 percentage polls for overall results.

AARP officials noted the organization is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates.