Nevada’s high-stakes Senate race is getting hotter than our state’s trademark desert sun, and the competition will only get fiercer as Election Day in November approaches. Army veteran Sam Brown is set to take on incumbent Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen after winning out over a sizable list of rivals in the Republican primary, and both candidates are blitzing events across the state to court voters. As the general election gets closer, Nevada’s voters will be paying especially close attention to the ongoing issue of Social Security and what our candidates are saying about the program’s future.

Social Security is a crucial program for hundreds of thousands of Nevada residents, and it might just be the deciding issue for some of our state’s most influential voters. According to new polling, 81 percent of Nevadans over the age of 50 are “extremely motivated” to turn out for this year’s elections, a number significantly higher than younger voters. The same survey found that 91 percent of those Nevadans report that they would be more likely to vote for the Senate candidate who makes protecting Social Security a top priority, a fact that shouldn’t be surprising given that the program helps millions of Americans afford gas, rent, and groceries in retirement. The takeaway should be obvious: older voters remain the most important voting demographic in the state, and Social Security should be on every candidate’s radar.

So far, candidates running in some of Nevada’s most high-profile races have taken notice of that, and Republicans like former President Trump and Sam Brown have made a point of pledging to protect the program. Trump has been a strong supporter of seniors’ retirement benefits and even highlighted the importance of Social Security at a rally in Las Vegas earlier this year. Sam Brown has followed Trump’s lead on the issue and emphasized his commitment to the program recently, stating that he “will not cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.”

It’s clear that Trump and Brown realize that candidates in Nevada must get the Social Security issue right in 2024. Too many Silver State voters depend on it, and the funds are simply being returned to hard-working taxpayers who spent decades paying into the program. Former President Trump has wisely made the issue a centerpiece of his campaign, and he’s made a definitive commitment to protect Social Security. Mr. Brown should continue to do the same.

Protecting Social Security has been a major priority for voters for decades, and the same will hold true for the 2024 election season. Nevadans will be keeping that in mind when they head to the polls in November.