Elizabeth Warren is vulnerable to challenger John Deaton, readers say. Here’s why.
Could Warren be ousted by her new opponent? See what more than 500 readers who responded to our poll said.
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren faces a new GOP challenger in her campaign for Senate, prompting Boston.com readers to wonder: Could she be ousted by her new opponent?
Republican John Deaton, a former U.S. Marine and cryptocurrency attorney, announced on Monday that he is challenging the incumbent as she runs for her third term in office.
When we asked our readers if they think Deaton could beat Warren in November, more than 500 responded. A majority (57%) said yes, Warren is vulnerable to Deaton in the race. But 39% said no, she is too entrenched in the state’s political fabric to be ousted by the cryptocurrency attorney.
Deaton was born in Detroit and moved to Swansea, Massachusetts last month to launch his campaign for the Massachusetts Senate. The Michigan native worked for decades as an attorney on asbestos and mesothelioma cases before turning his attention to crypto litigation and advocacy in the last few years.
Warren announced last year that she would seek reelection. She defeated incumbent GOP Sen. Scott Brown in 2012, and Geoff Diehl in 2018. She ran for president in 2019, but suspended her campaign after a disappointing third-place finish on Super Tuesday, and backed Joe Biden in 2020.
Warren, who announced last year that she would seek reelection, is known for prioritizing economic issues and has been a staunch critic of cryptocurrencies in recent years. In September 2023, she and several senators announced an expanded coalition of Senate support for a bill (S.2669) that would double down on crypto’s use in illegal activities such as money laundering and drug trafficking.
“Crypto is enabling rogue nations, drug lords, ransomware gangs, and fraudsters to launder billions in stolen funds, evade sanctions, fund illegal weapons programs, and profit from devastating cyberattacks,” Warren said in a news release. “Our expanding coalition shows that Congress is ready to take action – our bipartisan bill is the toughest proposal on the table cracking down on crypto’s illicit use and giving regulators more tools in their toolbox.”
Deaton, meanwhile, launched a website, Cryptolaw.com, in 2021 to be “a clearinghouse of information, news and analysis on key U.S. legal and regulatory developments for digital asset holders,” according to the website. It was founded by his law firm, The Deaton Law Firm.
Warren released a report Tuesday in which she detailed more than $50 billion in federal support for Massachusetts that she said she has secured during her time in the Senate. Her campaign priorities include student loan debt cancellation, fighting for Massachusetts families, holding big banks accountable, and passing a new federal tax on giant corporations, according to her website.
Over X, formerly known as Twitter, Deaton said his campaign priorities include “income inequality, inflation, housing costs, illegal immigration, the debt crisis, and veterans’ services.”
See below a sampling of readers explaining the challenge Warren could or could not face as she runs for her third term in office.
Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
Do you think John Deaton or another potential Republican challenger could beat Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November?
Yes, she’s vulnerable
“Having someone in the Senate that understands technology and specifically crypto is enormous. Liz likes to attack banks for high fees instead of encouraging people to shop their banks and find a bank, or more importantly, a credit union that might actually want to treat them as a customer with no fees. The world is changing fast…[but] Liz is all about headlines and no substance.” – Jim, Methuen
“I don’t believe Senator Warren does much for Massachusetts and grandstands on most issues. Frankly, I don’t know where she’s been the past few years. I’d really like to see new fresh blood being elected and send Senators Warren and Markey packing.” – Dave, Woburn
“Deaton has an authentic hardscrabble story that will resonate with voters.” – Horace M., Franklin
“She couldn’t win her own state in her presidential run, let alone second place. It’s time she retires and lets someone with new energy take over.” – James, Jamaica Plain
“All Democrats seeking re-election are vulnerable this year.” – Karthik R., Chelmsford
“It’s time for someone new. But not some Republican from Detroit. We need sensible moderate Democrats.” – Shawn, Norwell
“Warren is unrelatable to the working class. Her claimed $50 million to aid Massachusetts is unheard of. You hear nothing of supporting Massachusetts residents.” – Karen S., Norwood
“Time for Lizzie to retire! We need someone new with fresh ideas who is ready to fight for working families here in Massachusetts.” – Laura F., Northborough
No, she’s entrenched
“Warren is already doing all (well, most) of the things Deaton claims he will do: fight insurance companies and big business, fight for more affordable health care, and generally fight for the little guy. What she won’t do is protect scams like cryptocurrency or be another Republican vote for extremist activist judges in the mold of Clarence Thomas who will further curtail our freedoms.” – Greg M., Newton
“Elizabeth Warren is too intelligent and skilled in the law for any of us Bay Staters to change direction. She has served the Commonwealth, and our country, with skill and grace. She is a strong advocate for the middle class, and isn’t afraid to take on MAGA. Why would any clear thinking Democrat want to go up against a well-respected incumbent?” – Jim L., Templeton
“There is no way she will lose. However, her stance on crypto and siding with the big banks is going to welcome more challengers.” – Everett, Peabody
“She sticks up for working people. She came from an ordinary family and made something of herself through hard work and talent. I don’t agree with her about everything, but she seems principled and has integrity.” – Richard W., Dedham
“She delivers for the working families of MA. She now needs to go after corporate greed and she will. [She’s] also, smart.” – Therese O., Newburyport
“Senator Warren has been a national leader on many consumer issues, most notably banking industry and consumer lending reforms. Another such example is her hard work to reduce the cost of cancer and other excessively priced drugs. Working with Maine Senator Angus King and Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett, Senator Warren has organized colleagues to urge the Biden Administration to exercise federal patent rights to ensure that prescription drugs are affordable and broadly accessible. The work she and her staff have done on this issue is very impressive.” – Robert S., Boston
“No Republican could oust her; however, the right Democrat could. She has hurt herself with her stance on the border and Gaza. I would not vote for her again.” – Philip W., Boston
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
Correction: This story previously misstated the name of Republican John Deaton. We regret this error.
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