U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Cryptocurrency lawyer John Deaton may not be the answer to the Elizabeth Warren problem, but it’s a step in the right direction.
The far left Bay State senator could be vulnerable and is clearly already worried about Deaton – spreading seven-year-old assault charges that were later dismissed to her media minions in a bid to weaken Deaton before he gets started.
But whether it’s Deaton or someone else, Warren is ripe for an opponent.
Her poor approval ratings in Massachusetts and inattention to her constituents could cost her if a competitive candidate – either Democrat or Republican – surfaces before the May 7 U.S. Senate filing deadline.
Hello, Josh Kraft? Are you serious about getting into politics? This is a race you could win.
Deaton would be Warren’s first Republican challenger to emerge if he decides to run. He checks some boxes – he has the money and desire to get in the race – but being a crypto-advocate isn’t exactly a great platform to run on.
Deaton also just moved to Massachusetts and may be putting out his “serious” interest in running in a bid to advance his cryptocurrency agenda in Congress. He is consulting with former Charlie Baker adviser Jim Conroy.
Warren has aggressively attacked the cryptocurrency industry, pushing legislation to tightly regulate it.
Deaton, a former Marine, rose up from a poor background to become a well-known lawyer representing asbestos victims and later championed cryptocurrency.
It’s doubtful his 2017 assault arrest in Rhode Island following an altercation with another man who was wanted for domestic violence charges will be a long-term issue but it wasn’t a great introduction to voters. The charges against Deaton were eventually dismissed. Deaton says he was simply defending himself from a man with an alleged history of violence against women..
“I pay more in taxes than your entire salary,” Deaton told one of the arresting officers, according to the arrest report. He also asked if he could stick out his middle finger in his mug shot.
Deaton later sued the town of Barrington over his arrest, claiming he lost millions in business because of the damage to his reputation.
Warren’s attacks against big business and giant corporations like Amazon have earned her a national reputation so a clash against a millionaire like Deaton would be an expensive battle for her to win.
She has tried to repair the damage from her failed 2020 presidential challenge but there is clearly still residual anger against her in Massachusetts. She was crushed by Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Massachusetts primary, an embarrassment that will dog her forever.
Just 41% of Bay State voters view Warren favorably, according to a new MassINC Polling Group survey. Thirty-six percent viewed her unfavorably.
And just 43% of voters said they think Warren should run for a third term.
Those kinds of troubling numbers should be a warning to Warren, but she hasn’t changed her national ambitions – with Democratic sympathizers putting her in the mix again this year if President Biden decides to pull out.