Elizabeth Warren and John Deaton's Massachusetts Senate debate is October 15. Send us your questions.
The opinions expressed below are Jon Keller's, not those of WBZ, CBS News or Paramount Global.
BOSTON - When Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and her Republican challenger, attorney John Deaton, meet in their first debate October 15 at WBZ-TV studios in Boston, it will be more than just a political footnote.
Let's be candid. While the verdict is always in the hands of the voters, rather than a function of polls and punditry, there is little chance of Deaton denying Warren a third term. It's been exactly 100 years since a Republican defeated an incumbent U.S. Senator in Massachusetts, and with the presidential election expected to draw a high turnout of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents, the chances of Deaton pulling an upset are infinitesimal. The most recent poll shows Warren comfortably ahead.
How to watch the Warren Deaton debate
But the one-hour debate on October 15 at 8:30 p.m. on WSBK-TV 38 and streaming in the video above on CBS News Boston - their only Boston-area encounter - will be worth watching for other reasons.
An interesting clash of political philosophies will be on display.
Warren, Deaton and crypto
Warren describes herself as a capitalist, but she has made her name as a skeptical watchdog of the private sector, with the cryptocurrency industry a particular recent target. Late last year, for instance, she was promoting a crackdown on what she claimed was crypto industry greed and indifference to illegal uses of its products, declaring that "the crypto industry is spending millions to give itself a veneer of legitimacy while fighting tooth and nail to stonewall common sense rules designed to restrict the use of crypto for terror financing - rules that could cut into crypto company profits."
Deaton is a crypto advocate who has successfully represented the industry in lawsuits challenging government regulation and whose candidacy is receiving substantial financial support from industry figures. As one pro-crypto website puts it: "This showdown could have major implications for banks that are crypto friendly and the overall acceptance of cryptocurrencies."
And the race could have local political implications as well. A respectable showing by Deaton could add momentum for a turn by Massachusetts Republicans away from Trumpism and back to a model of more socially-moderate politics typified by former governors Charlie Baker and Bill Weld.
Deaton has refused to endorse Trump, has embraced moderate positions on hot-button social issues like abortion rights, and has so far stuck to the relative high road in his political tone.
In a WBZ debate during the Republican Senate primary, Deaton called Warren "the queen of finger-pointing politics," adding: "She's great at fighting against the rich and the wealthy. That is not the same as fighting for the poor and the middle class. I want to uplift people. I want to bring people up, expand the middle class, bring people out of poverty, like I brought myself out of poverty... I can do that without tearing people down."
Send your debate questions
You can be part of this debate by submitting a question for the two candidates at keller@wbztv.com. Include your name and hometown. If you prefer not to have your last name used just let us know.
Only relevant, serious questions that can be addressed to both candidates will be considered. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday morning, October 15 at 9 a.m.
