Who is John Deaton, the man running against Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts?
BOSTON – John Deaton of Swansea announced his challenge to Sen. Elizabeth Warren. So who is the Republican attorney from Massachusetts?
"I am running for U.S. Senate to continue my life's mission to shake things up for the people who need it most," Deaton said in a video announcement.
And that video tells a story not unlike that of the incumbent he wants to unseat.
Warren has always emphasized her humble roots growing up in Oklahoma and her struggles to make it as a young divorcee. But Deaton says he can top that: "Highland Park, Detroit," he narrates over pictures of crumbling homes. "I grew up in real poverty."
And speaking of similarities, does this Deaton self-description remind you of anyone? "I fought for the little guy, I took on the greedy corporations and the heartless insurance companies and I won."
So how will he differentiate himself from Warren? By taking on "Washington corruption," he declares as Warren, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are pictured on-screen. (Deaton makes no specific corruption claim against her, a standard ad maker's trick.)
More Deaton: "She gives lectures and plays politics and gets nothing done for Massachusetts." But - what a coincidence - Warren just released a report documenting her role in winning $50 billion in federal funds for Massachusetts over the past decade.
And Deaton's video includes a reference to an ongoing crypto lawsuit where his clients won a split decision against government regulators. That verdict is now under appeal, but that didn't deter the ad makers from scripting the line: "I took on the Washington insiders and I won." Still, Deaton's pro-crypto advocacy offers the promise of a robust airing of the pros and cons of crypto during the campaign.
So is there a chance Deaton could give Warren a race?
We'll soon see what kind of candidate he is, and there's always the cautionary tale of Scott Brown's upset victory back in 2010. But that was an open seat, and Brown was an experienced campaigner, not a novice.
Plus, Deaton must overcome some baggage - he'll be sharing the ticket with a name that's very unpopular in Massachusetts, a name he didn't mention in his announcement video - Donald J. Trump.
