KEY POINTS
- Deaton took over 61% of the vote compared to Antonellis' 29% and Cain's 8%
- The pro-crypto lawyer vowed to hold Warren accountable for her supposed failures in Massachusetts
- Deaton is a former Marine who stood up for XRP holders in the SEC's case against Ripple
The Republican primary in Massachusetts has ended, with pro-cryptocurrency lawyer John Deaton emerging victorious over industrial engineer Bob Antonellis and Quincy City Councilor Ian Cain.
The Associated Press already called the race for Deaton Tuesday night even with only 2% of the vote counted as the former Marine received over 61% of the vote compared to Antonellis' 29% and Cain's 8%.
Deaton Moves to Unseat Warren
Deaton's primary win sets him up for a political battle against Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who stood unchallenged in her primary and automatically advanced to the November general elections.
In a statement on X, Deaton thanked his supporters for their faith. "I am truly humbled by the tremendous outpouring of support and grateful for the faith the voters have placed in me," he said.
I am truly humbled by the tremendous outpouring of support and grateful for the faith the voters have placed in me. Tomorrow, we begin the next phase of the campaign – an effort that will hold Elizabeth Warren accountable for her failures on the border, the unaffordable cost of… https://t.co/WUW22D5ocP
— John Deaton (@DeatonforSenate) September 4, 2024
He promised to hold Warren accountable for what he said were the veteran senator's failures across various aspects of the economy, including "the unaffordable cost of supporting a family," as well as Massachusetts' "broken healthcare system."
For a crypto community that has felt singled-out by Warren and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the past few years, Deaton's victory isn't just his own.
Crypto Celebrates Crypto Advocate's Win
Shortly after news emerged of Deaton's primary win, crypto users took to X to celebrate, including some prominent figures in the industry.
Among the key industry figures who congratulated Deaton were Pierre Rochard, vice president of research at Bitcoin mining giant Riot Platforms, Digital Chamber President Cody Carbone, renowned crypto lawyer Carlo D'Angelo, and popular crypto influencer Zach Humphries.
Congratulations John, wishing you the best.
— Pierre Rochard (@BitcoinPierre) September 4, 2024
Congrats John!!
— Cody Carbone (@CodyCarboneDC) September 4, 2024
So happy for you John. Well done.
— Carlo⚖️ (@DeFiDefenseLaw) September 4, 2024
Congrats! XRP army loves it
— Zach Humphries (@Z_Humphries) September 4, 2024
Many other crypto users expressed joy over Deaton's win. One user said the task ahead is quite challenging, "but retiring Liz can be done."
Well done John. Step 1 complete! Tall task ahead, but retiring Liz can be done. Not often MA voters have a legit moderate conservative candidate that echos their views. Enough progressive madness from Warren.
— BostonCommonSense (@SteveBorseti) September 4, 2024
Some looked back on how Deaton helped the community behind the XRP token after the SEC filed a case against Ripple. "I can never thank you enough for what you did for the XRP community!" one user said. "He's gonna do more for XRP than Ripple does," another user said.
Deaton has also filed to become legal counsel for thousands of Coinbase customers after the SEC lodged a complaint against the crypto exchange giant.
The Journey to Unseating Warren
Deaton has been on a mission of unseating Warren, who has held her seat for over a decade. She is widely viewed as an "anti-crypto" lawmaker. Deaton has already started gaining the attention of industry executives, including Gemini's Winklevoss twins, who donated a collective $1 million in $BTC to the Deaton campaign.
Cameron Winklevoss, one of the Winklevoss twins who co-founded Gemini crypto exchange, said at the time of his donation that he believes the Bitcoin advocate "will put an end to Elizabeth Warren's war on crypto."
Ripple is said to have donated $1 million to the Commonwealth Unity Fund super PAC in a bid to help propel Deaton's campaign forward.
