John Deaton, a private attorney and a vocal advocate for the crypto industry, is considering challenging the key crypto skeptic among lawmakers, Elizabeth Warren, for her seat in the United States Senate. The election will take place in November 2024. 

In a Feb. 14 report by the Boston Globe, a Republican Party insider stated that Deaton is “taking a serious look” at the upcoming senate election in the state of Massachusetts, which Warren has represented since first elected in 2013.

Jim Conroy, a former adviser to the 72nd governor of Massachusetts, Charles Baker, revealed that he has been consulting with Deaton and that the latter will decide regarding the senate race “in the coming days.”

Deaton is a renowned figure in the U.S. crypto community, and he has years of experience in defending the interests of sufferers of mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases. In 2021, the attorney filed an amicus brief on behalf of over 6,000 XRP 

XRP $0.56 holders in a lawsuit between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple Labs.

Since then, Deaton has been a vocal critic of the SEC, its Chair Gary Gensler and Warren, whose tough stance on crypto made her a target for industry advocates. In his latest public attack on Warren on social media platform X, Deaton accused her of “gaslighting the American public.”

Warren was elected to the Senate in 2012 after defeating incumbent Senator Scott Brown with 53.7% of the vote. In 2018, Warren defeated former state representative Geoff Diehl with 60% of the vote. However, polls conducted in 2023 showed that only 41% of Massachusetts residents viewed her candidacy favorably.

According to the Boston Globe, with Deaton’s candidacy, the Republican Party may be aiming not only at a direct victory over Warren in Massachusetts but also to engage her in a competitive race and prevent her from raising money for other candidates and causes.

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