Ohio Republican congressional candidate pushes for Social Security privatization

In Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, Republican congressional candidate Kevin Coughlin has made several comments on the campaign trail that suggest he believes privatizing or cutting Social Security would be the best path forward for the program. 

Kevin Coughlin — who previously had served in Ohio’s Senate and House of Representatives and is now the GOP nominee in the state’s 13th Congressional District race — said at a meeting with University of Akron College Republicans in late April that Social Security funds would stand to benefit should the government “do some bonds … some mutual funds, some securities, some straight up stocks and securities.” 

“The Democrats will say, well, you want to gamble the future of Social Security. No, it’s not gambling if you know what you’re doing. And that’s why you diversify, because you’re hedging your bets against losses in one part of the portfolio by being safe over here,” Coughlin added. 

NEW AUDIO: Ohio GOP House candidate Kevin Coughlin, who has advocated raising the retirement age and voucherizing Medicare, pitches Social Security privatization, saying “hedging your bets” in the stock market is best:

“It’s not gambling if you know what you’re doing!” pic.twitter.com/ROg4D0fE6A

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) June 7, 2024

Such remarks aren’t isolated. During the Republican primary in early 2024, Coughlin alluded to the need to slash spending on Social Security and Medicaid in the event that either benefit becomes insolvent.

“Anyone with eyes and an honest heart can understand that when half of your budget is being spent on Medicaid and Social Security and it’s going to go broke very, very quickly, which isn’t going to mean that they’re going to go away, but it’s going to mean that the benefits that people get are going to be cut,” Coughlin said at the Ohio Christian Alliance Candidate Forum in February. 

Additionally, Coughlin has advocated “converting Medicare into a voucher program for anyone under 55” and increasing the “eligibility age to 67.” 

These comments fly in the face of recent Republican strategy. Since taking over the party, former President Donald Trump has avoided directly mentioning austerity measures to federal benefits — understanding the stance as a deeply unpopular political position. 

Indeed, MAGA allies in Congress have been quick to scold more “old school” Republicans for backing such policies.

“I distinctly remember somebody basically ran a presidential campaign on this in 2012: the Paul Ryan budget, the austerity budget,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said in reference to the party’s current attitude towards major welfare programs.  

“I don’t recall that ticket performing very well. I personally don’t care to go back to that.”