Attorney John Deaton, a prominent advocate for the cryptocurrency industry, has officially announced his candidacy for a United States Senate seat in Massachusetts. In a video released on Feb. 20, Deaton stated that his campaign would focus on challenging the “Washington elites” and criticized Senator Elizabeth Warren for her lack of accomplishments for the state. The video also featured a photo of a headline from Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, highlighting Deaton’s efforts in supporting crypto against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with Deaton wearing an XRP shirt. However, the main focus of the launch video revolved around domestic issues such as inflation and border security.
Deaton’s goal in running for the Senate is to continue his lifelong mission of advocating for the underprivileged. If successful, his campaign would unseat incumbent Senator Warren, who has been a staunch opponent of digital assets, claiming that they are mainly used for illicit purposes, including financing terrorist organizations.
On his campaign website, Deaton emphasized his role as an attorney advocating for cryptocurrencies, specifically mentioning his filing of an amicus brief on behalf of XRP holders in the lawsuit between the SEC and Ripple. He has been vocal in defending the rights of crypto investors and has been critical of the SEC and policymakers for their enforcement actions against digital assets.
Although Deaton’s campaign launch and website do not mention any political party affiliation, he is reportedly running as a Republican, while Senator Warren is running as a Democrat. Despite attempts to contact both offices, neither responded at the time of publication.
According to the Federal Election Commission, Senator Warren had raised approximately $16 million for her 2024 reelection campaign as of Dec. 31, with $4 million in cash on hand. Prior to Deaton’s official campaign launch, Warren called for donations, citing Deaton as a “big cheerleader for crypto interests” and claiming that the “crypto lobby has put a target on [her] back.”
It remains uncertain whether interest groups can contribute to Deaton’s Senate run. In an interview with Pod Save America on Feb. 18, Senator Warren mentioned that certain segments of the crypto industry had significant funds to challenge her support of the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act in Congress.
Deaton is considered a long shot in unseating Senator Warren, who was viewed favorably by 41% of Massachusettsans according to a 2023 poll by MassINC Polling Group. The election for the Senate seat will take place on Nov. 5.
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