Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, a well-known advocate for cryptocurrencies in the United States Congress, has officially endorsed Republican Ian Cain in his bid for a Massachusetts Senate seat. The announcement, made on July 8, highlighted Cain’s understanding of the “digital economy” and his commitment to innovation as reasons for Lummis’ support. This endorsement could potentially give Cain an advantage over his primary opponents, engineer Robert Antonellis and crypto-focused lawyer John Deaton.
Lummis expressed her confidence in Cain, stating, “From the border to blockchain, Ian Cain understands the issues facing his community and he will fight hard everyday for the Commonwealth.” The endorsement from the Wyoming senator comes 57 days before the Massachusetts Republican primary and 120 days before the general election in the United States. The Republican party aims to unseat incumbent Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat who has held the state’s Senate seat since 2013. Senator Warren is known for her vocal opposition to cryptocurrencies and her belief that they are linked to illegal financial activities.
John Deaton, a lawyer who has been involved in numerous high-profile crypto court cases, has also entered the Massachusetts Senate race. Deaton has consistently advocated for the use of cryptocurrency technology and has criticized Senator Warren for her anti-crypto stance. In the first quarter of 2024, Deaton’s campaign raised more funds than Senator Warren’s campaign, with support from prominent figures in the crypto industry such as executives from Gemini, Ripple, and Kraken.
Ian Cain, co-founder of Qubic Labs, launched his campaign in April. At the time of publication, data from the Federal Election Commission regarding Cain’s fundraising was not available, likely due to his campaign being launched after the first-quarter filings. Cain has expressed his support for crypto and blockchain technology on his personal X account and has shown his endorsement for the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act.
As of May 30, YouGov polls indicated that Senator Warren held a lead of over 20 points against both Deaton and Cain. Cointelegraph reached out to Deaton and Senator Lummis for comments but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Crypto and blockchain have already emerged as significant campaign issues for candidates running in the 2024 election, including former President Donald Trump. The Republican candidate has voiced his support for Bitcoin (BTC) mining in the United States and has announced that his campaign will accept crypto contributions. This move has prompted President Joe Biden to consider emphasizing digital assets as a campaign issue with the upcoming election.
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