Yesterday I received this flyer outlining Congressman Rob Wittman’s thinking on Social Security.

This comes very early in the 2026 mid-term cycle so I’d like to highlight three points:

First, note the language he uses when promising to protect the Social Security: “I will not support any changes that impact current beneficiaries or those nearing retirement.” Wittman used this same language in a candidate debate against Qasim Rashid in 2020, and it means that he is open to ending Social Security for “hardworking Americans” who have paid into the program but are not yet approaching retirement age. These constituents should worry that Wittman might vote to take it away from them, whether or not they have already paid into it and however hard they have worked.

The second thing I would highlight is his emphasis on constituent support for those who need assistance with the Social Security Administration. Now this is standard practice for members of the House of Representativies. Constituent service is an important part of the job, and by all accounts Wittman is very good at this, whatever you think about his politics. Still, this focus calls to mind his whitewashing of the harm Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has done to the Social Security Administration. Reducing an already inadequate federal workforce and closing local offices dedicated to processing claims is not the best way to make sure that seniors will have “peace of mind knowing that the benefits they count on will be there.”

Finally, it seems odd that Wittman is already sending out campaign flyers 18 months away from the 2026 midterm elections. In some sense it’s odd that he sends out campaign flyers at all – though redistricting has made the First Congressional District slightly less red, this should still be a fairly safe district for a longtime incumbent who provides solid constituent service and does a good job of framing himself as more moderate than other Republican Representatives. I think people like Wittman understand that we’ll be looking at a very difficult election cycle for Republicans by November 2026. Not only has Trump and his bull-in-a-china-shop approach to government reform energized grassroots Democrats (if not some of their elected officials), some of his specific policies have hurt the very people who voted him into office. Shutting down USAID – part of an effort to end foreign aid – will hurt farmers and reshape agriculture across the country, especially in the South. Virginia farmers have the second most to lose after Texas: more than $7.2 billion. Yes, that’s billions with a B, and some of these farmers live in Wittman’s district. Refusal to face them in person at town hall meetings suggests he does not want to have to answer for this.

Makes me wonder if Wittman is starting to worry about losing his job.