Video and photos by Multimedia Editor Sera Frederick.
Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas returns home Monday from Washington D.C. to announce to a jubilant crowd of supporters in New Smyrna Beach's Memorial Park that she has received a major endorsement from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. See our exclusive coverage in the video above and story and photos below.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas didn't pull any punches in pledging to continue fighting for to strengthen and protect Social Security and Medicare as she accepted the endorsement Monday from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
Suzanne Kosmas, holding a pair of boxing gloves, hopes to knock out Republican challenger Sandy Adams of Orange County on Nov. 2. Adams, a staunch conservative, favors privatizing Social Security, something Kosmas vehemently opposes, which is why she was endorsed by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
To prove her point, Kosmas, the first-term New Smyrna Beach Democrat representing the 24th district, accepted a pair of shiny red boxing gloves from Max Ritchman, executive vice president of the Washington-based committee.
Many of the 50 or so supporters in the park told Kosmas they were concerned about losing such benefits, especially in this downtrodden economy, but Kosmas assured them she would continue her fight to ensure their coverage from Republicans in Congress who favor privatizing Social Security, including her November challenger, Sandy Adams of Orange County, who has made no visits to New Smyrna Beach.
"These are sacred trusts," Kosmas said of those who have paid in for decades and are counting on those benefits."
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Ritchman said his group, the second largest senior advocacy entity behind AARP, is very particular in handing out political endorsements:
"We look at the record. We look at what they say when they're running for election and what they do in Congress if elected. Her record lived up to what she said."