Deaton Seeks GOP Endorsement in a Tougher Race

After his failed attempt to defeat Sen. Elizabeth Warren for a senate seat last year, XRP lawyer John Deaton is back for another Massachusetts Senate bid—but this time, his biggest challenge may come from inside his own party.

Pro-XRP attorney and crypto advocate John Deaton has officially entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race, declaring his intent to challenge Democratic incumbent Ed Markey in Massachusetts.

But before Deaton can mount his campaign, he must first secure a crucial endorsement from state Republican Party leaders—a decision that could determine whether his name even appears on the general election ballot.

Party officials are expected to vote in the coming weeks on whether to back Deaton, who previously lost to Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a crushing defeat of more than 20 points although all the wides were in his favor.

In a deep-blue state where Democrats have long dominated federal races, winning institutional Republican support is essential to avoid a costly and likely fatal primary fight.

A Repeat Bid After a High-Profile Defeat

Deaton’s first foray into Massachusetts politics captured national attention. In 2024, he ran as a pro-crypto Republican against Warren—the Senate’s most vocal critic of the digital asset industry—at a time when crypto faced what many saw as an existential battle in Washington.

Despite drawing significant funding from the Winklevoss twins and a crypto-focused political action committee (PAC) who donated $1000,000 and $850,000 respectively.

Yet despite those advantages—and a narrative that pitted crypto’s legal champion against its fiercest political adversary—Deaton fell short. He lost by more than 20 percentage points, even as the industry rallied behind him.

Two years later, the conditions that once were in Deaton’s favor has shifted. While Markey remains skeptical of digital assets, he lacks Warren’s national profile as an anti-crypto crusader. At the same time, the second Trump administration’s aggressively pro-crypto stance has eased much of the regulatory anxiety that fueled Deaton’s earlier campaign.

With fewer existential threats on the horizon, the crypto industry’s urgency—and its willingness to spend big on candidates—appears to be waning.

Even Deaton’s new campaign website reflects that change. His “Issues” page makes no mention of crypto policy, though supporters can still donate in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and even memecoins like Dogecoin and BONK.Beyond internal party politics, Deaton faces another immutable obstacle: geography.

Massachusetts remains one of the most reliably Democratic states in the country, and its political climate has not grown friendlier toward crypto. A proposed “Bitcoin Strategic Reserve” bill has stalled in the state legislature, and towns like South Hadley are weighing local restrictions on crypto ATMs amid fraud concerns.

For a Republican candidate who lost by double digits in a previous cycle, the odds of flipping such a state—especially in a lower-profile race—remain slim.

Will the GOP Take the Bet?

For Massachusetts Republicans, the question is whether Deaton’s national crypto recognition outweighs his local electability challenges. His supporters argue that his name recognition and outsider energy could help energize the base.

But others within the party worry that nominating him again—after such a wide defeat—could waste resources in a year when they’re already fighting uphill battles statewide.

In a calmer crypto climate, without the urgency or funding of 2024, the calculus has changed. Deaton may still be the crypto community’s standard-bearer, but within Massachusetts’ Republican ranks, enthusiasm appears tepid.

Unless the GOP decides to take a symbolic stand for digital assets, Deaton’s candidacy could end before it even begins—voted down not by voters, but by his own party.