Marshall now backs ending Social Security tax cap; in 2020 he floated later retirement

In their last scheduled debate before the Nov. 3 election, Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall took a position on Social Security that goes further than his Democratic opponent's ¹. Asked about the cap on wages taxed for Social Security, he answered in one line: "I would eliminate the cap altogether" ¹.

Right now, the taxes that pay for Social Security apply only to the first $184,500 of a person's income ¹. The debate was hosted by the TV station FOX4, with John Holt moderating ¹.

On tapeKSNT News · Oct 22

▶2:39

I would eliminate the cap altogether

Six years ago, Marshall was talking about a different fix. That is the receipt this column is built on.

Then: secure today's retirees, look at the retirement age

When Marshall first ran for the Senate in 2020, he answered a candidate questionnaire for the AFA iVoterGuide, a voter guide. OnTheIssues, a website that tracks candidates' stated positions, has archived that answer ⁴. His plan had two steps. First, protect benefits for people over 55. After that, look at changes for younger workers, and the example he named was raising the retirement age ⁴.

From Channel GOPWarren asks Greer for a tariff refund planElizabeth Warren · 179 plays · captioned, with the source named

It is imperative that we secure the current Social Security benefits for all Americans over the age of 55. Then we must take a look at solutions to secure it for future generations like raising the retirement age.

In late 2024, Marshall's focus was cutting taxes for retirees, not raising them for workers. On Dec. 19, 2024, he and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, introduced the RETIREES FIRST Act ⁵. The bill would raise the income limits at which Social Security benefits are taxed, to $34,000 for single filers and $68,000 for married couples ⁵. Marshall's press release said "President Trump promised to protect Social Security and deliver relief to senior citizens" ⁵.

Now: no cap, and no answer on the retirement age

At Wednesday's debate, the moderator asked both men two things: would they remove the payroll tax cap, and would they raise the retirement age for younger workers ². Marshall would not name a retirement age. "I'm not ready to go there," he said, adding, "I think we have to figure out all these other dials" ². He said growing the economy would come first ².

Adam Hamilton is a United Methodist pastor and the Democratic nominee ⁷. He said he would raise the cap but not get rid of it ². He pointed out that a person "making a million dollars a year is paying the same amount in FICA tax" as someone earning about $184,000 ². FICA is the payroll tax that comes out of paychecks for Social Security and Medicare. On the retirement age, Hamilton said, "I think that's something we need to look at, but I'm not committing to that right now" ².

I don't think that I would take it away entirely, but I would raise the cap.

In his rebuttal, Hamilton pointed to the switch. He also said Marshall has been in Congress for ten years and "hasn't got the job done on this" ².

you called me a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat, and yet you're saying the same thing today, which I really appreciate.

Republican critics noticed too

Marshall's answer drew fire from a conservative outlet. Raw Story reported that the Wall Street Journal's editorial board ran a piece titled "Roger Marshall Backs a Giant Tax Increase" ³. The board called the plan one of the biggest peacetime tax increases in decades and argued it would not close Social Security's funding gap ³. It accused Marshall of trying to "out-Democrat his Democratic opponent" and called the move "a political mistake for the ages" ³.

The board also pointed to a recent op-ed in which Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, joined Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in backing the idea ³. That puts at least some Republicans alongside Democrats on the question.

Why the clock matters

The deadline is real. On June 9, 2026, Social Security's trustees reported that the trust fund that pays retirement benefits would run short in the fourth quarter of 2032 ⁶. If Congress does nothing, the program could then pay only 78% of scheduled benefits, a cut of about 22% ⁶.

That matters because the cut would hit everyone collecting benefits at that point, including people who are retired today. Under the 2020 approach Marshall described, people over 55 would be protected and younger workers would bear the changes ⁴. Removing the cap puts more of the cost on the highest earners instead.

The timing stands out. The race is close. A New York Times/Siena poll in early October had the two candidates tied at 45% each ⁷. At the same debate, Marshall said "Control of the Senate goes through Kansas" ¹.

Fact-checkers found problems with other numbers Marshall used on stage. PolitiFact found that his claim that food stamp spending had grown from $80 billion a year to $150 billion was exaggerated. SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, spent $101.7 billion in fiscal 2025 and has never reached $150 billion ⁸. PolitiFact said Marshall's office did not provide a source ⁸.

One question for voters: if Marshall is re-elected, will he file a bill to remove the cap, and will his own party leaders let it come to a vote? He has not said.

The Record

1. Nov 3, 2020OnTheIssues archives Marshall's 2020 AFA iVoterGuide answer. It says to protect benefits for people over 55, then look at fixes for future generations 'like raising the retirement age' ⁴.
2. Dec 19, 2024Marshall and Sen. Marsha Blackburn introduce the RETIREES FIRST Act to cut taxes on Social Security benefits ⁵.
3. Jun 9, 2026Social Security trustees project the retirement trust fund will run short in late 2032, after which it could pay 78% of scheduled benefits ⁶.
4. Oct 21, 2026At the final Kansas Senate debate, Marshall says he would eliminate the $184,500 payroll tax cap, and Hamilton says he would raise it but not remove it ¹².
5. Oct 22, 2026The Wall Street Journal editorial board criticizes Marshall's cap position as a 'political mistake for the ages,' Raw Story reports ³.

Sources

1. Kansas News Service via Johnson County Post, “Marshall, Hamilton clash in final Kansas Senate debate” (2026-10-22). johnsoncountypost.com/2026/10/22/roger-marshall-adam-hamilto
2. Voice For Liberty (wichitaliberty.org), “Transcript of Roger Marshall - Adam Hamilton Debate, October 21, 2026” (2026-10-22). wichitaliberty.org/politics/transcript-of-roger-marshall-ada
3. Raw Story, “Embattled GOP senator making political 'mistake for the ages': WSJ” (2026-10-22). rawstory.com/roger-marshall-wsj/
4. OnTheIssues, “Roger Marshall on Social Security” (2020-11-03). ontheissues.org/Economic/Roger_Marshall_Social_Security.htm
5. Office of Sen. Roger Marshall (senate.gov), “Senators Marshall, Blackburn Introduce Bill to Reduce Tax Burden on Social Security Benefits for Seniors” (2024-12-19). marshall.senate.gov/?p=78576
6. 401k Specialist, “2026 Social Security Trustees Report Moves Insolvency to 2032” (2026-06-09). 401kspecialistmag.com/2026-social-security-trustees-report-m
7. KCUR, “'Control of the Senate goes through Kansas': Marshall and Hamilton clash at last debate” (2026-10-21). kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-10-21/contro
8. PolitiFact, “Fact-checking Roger Marshall, Adam Hamilton on diesel prices, SNAP in Kansas U.S. Senate debate” (2026-10-21). politifact.com/article/2026/oct/21/midterms-kansas-senate-ma

Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.