Cryptocurrency lawyer John Deaton may not be the answer to Elizabeth Warren's problem, but he is a step in the right direction.
The far-left senator from the Bay State could be vulnerable and is clearly already worried about Deaton. spreading assault charges from seven years ago which were then dispatched to his media henchmen in an attempt to weaken Deaton before he begins.
But whether it's Deaton or anyone else, Warren is ready to be an opponent.
His low approval ratings in Massachusetts and his lack of attention to his constituents could cost him money if a competitive candidate, either Democrat or Republican, emerges before the US Senate filing deadline of November 7. May.
Hello, Josh Kraft? Are you serious about getting into politics? This is a race you can win.
Deaton would be the first Republican challenger to emerge from Warren if she decides to run. He checks some boxes (he has the money and the desire to get into the race), but being a cryptocurrency advocate isn't exactly a great platform to run on.
Deaton also just moved to Massachusetts and may be expressing โseriousโ interest in running in a bid to advance his cryptocurrency agenda in Congress. He is consulting with former Charlie Baker advisor Jim Conroy.
Warren has aggressively attacked the cryptocurrency industry, pushing legislation to strictly regulate it.
Deaton, a former Marine, rose from a poor background to become a well-known attorney representing asbestos victims and later championing cryptocurrencies.
It's doubtful that his 2017 assault arrest in Rhode Island following an altercation with another man wanted on domestic violence charges will be a long-term problem, but it didn't make for a great introduction to voters. The charges against Deaton were ultimately dismissed. Deaton says she was simply defending herself against 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 give the middle finger on the mugshot of him.
Deaton later sued the city of Barrington over his arrest, claiming he lost millions in business due to damage to his reputation.
Warren's attacks on big businesses and giant corporations like Amazon have earned her a national reputation, so a showdown 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 haunt her forever.
Only 41% of Bay State voters view Warren favorably, according to a new survey from MassINC Polling Group. Thirty-six percent of her viewed her unfavorably.
And only 43% of voters said they believed Warren should run for a third term.
Those kinds of worrying numbers should be a warning to Warren, but she hasn't changed her national ambitions; Democratic supporters will put it in play again this year if President Biden decides to withdraw from it.
