Democratic U.S. Rep. Travis Childers and Republican challenger Alan Nunnelee are both promising to oppose major changes in Social Security, including raising the retirement age or privatizing the program.

The congressional candidates held separate news conferences Wednesday in Tupelo and signed pledges to protect the government-run retirement plan.

Childers accused Nunnelee of “waffling” for 22 months on whether to give private investment firms control over Social Security.

Nunnelee said he decided months ago to oppose privatization.

In late August, Nunnelee campaign spokesman Morgan Baldwyn told the Tupelo newspaper that Nunnelee was considering all options to put Social Security in better financial shape. Baldwyn would not say then whether privatization was one of the ideas Nunnelee was considering.

On Wednesday, the Nunnelee campaign said the Republican also signed a pledge to try to repeal the health care overhaul that President Barack Obama signed into law earlier this year.

Childers voted against the health care bill, saying it was too expensive.

Childers was first elected in 2008 in northern Mississippi’s 1st District. The general election is Nov. 2.