SPARKS — Democrat Kate Marshall met with about two dozen senior citizens and political activists at a Sparks home Monday night, where she vocalized her position on proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare just weeks before voters head to polling stations to pick Nevada’s next Congressional District 2 (CD2) representative.

Marshall also picked up a key endorsement during the informal meet-and-greet, as the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM) threw its support behind the former state treasurer.

“There’s a lot of game playing going on in Washington,” said Carroll Estes, NCPSSM chair. “Anyone who is supporting the Ryan budget is kicking Medicare.”

That critique was aimed directly at Marshall’s opponent, Republican Mark Amodei, who has expressed support for the budget proposals of Congressman Paul Ryan, R-Ohio, which would drastically overhaul and cut Medicare funding in order to deal with the nation’s debt.

In many ways the CD2 race hinges on this issue, and Marshall, hoping to shore up votes in a traditional Republican stronghold, appears to be trying to paint her candidacy as a defense of these entitlements.

“I on the other hand believe there are lots of things we can do to spend smarter and to bring this country’s deficit under control without hurting Medicare and Social Security,” she said. “One of the things I can bring to the table is that I understand finances.”

Marshall did acknowledge that Medicare can be made stronger with reforms, but said changes to Social Security, such as raising the age eligibility, were off the table.

Seniors in attendance Monday night said they liked what they heard and were ready to vote for Marshall today if it were possible to do so.

“Kate Marshall has always been for seniors,” said Peggy Lear Bowen. “We’re all concerned about our Medicare and Social Security. We need to stand firm.”

Dan Vinters, a trustee with the Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans, explained why he was supporting Marshall.

“We’re trying to protect our Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid … and just make a better life for the senior citizens because we’re the ones that are kind of losing here,” he said. “We’re hoping that (Marshall) understands that senior citizens and retired Americans can and will be out there trying to support her.”

Marshall summed up the many pleas she heard from seniors to preserve and protect entitlement spending.

“You can tell they are very, very concerned,” she said.