Crypto Lawyer John Deaton Doubles Down on US Senate Bid – Can He Flip the Script in 2025?
Crypto’s courtroom crusader is back for round two—and this time, he’s gunning for Washington.
The Deaton Doctrine: From Courtroom to Capitol?
After a razor-thin loss in his last Senate run, John Deaton’s betting his pro-crypto, anti-establishment brand can rally retail investors and disenchanted voters. No vague promises here—just a track record of suing the SEC and winning.
Why This Race Could Rattle Wall Street
Deaton’s campaign taps into two forces shaking politics: the 52 million Americans holding crypto, and growing distrust in legacy finance. ‘If politicians understood blockchain,’ he tweeted last week, ‘they’d realize transparency doesn’t require a $10,000-a-plate fundraiser.’
The Odds (and the Obstacles)
Pollsters give him a 35% shot—better than most challengers, but still an uphill battle. The opposition’s playbook? Paint him as a ‘single-issue candidate.’ Never mind that his ‘single issue’ involves 20% of U.S. households.
Bottom Line:
Win or lose, Deaton’s forcing a conversation traditional politicians dread—how to regulate an asset class that bypasses their donor class. And that’s a ledger even D.C. can’t fudge.
John Deaton Had Well-Financed Campaigns – What About This Time?
The Crypto Twitter linchpin received national attention last year, running as a pro-crypto candidate against Warren. He ran a well-financed campaign till the end, but ultimately lost to Warren by nearly 20 points.
For instance, crypto-backed political action committee (PAC) invested $850,000 to bolster Deaton’s Massachusetts Senate primary in 2024.
Besides, Gemini’s Winklevoss Twins donated Deaton $500,000 each in Bitcoin to “unseat” Elizabeth Warren and “put an end to” her war on crypto. They called Deaton “pro-Bitcoin, pro-crypto, and pro-business candidate.”
While many crypto industry players oppose Markey due to his strong stance against the asset class, as well as voting against the GENUIS stablecoin bill, the aggressive pro-crypto TRUMP administration has calmed the industry this year. As a result, crypto is playing less of a visible role this time. Deaton’s recent campaign page does not mention pro-crypto policies if elected.
The website is open to donations in several cryptos, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP and memecoins like BONK and Dogecoin.
Massachusetts Struggles to Become Bitcoin-Friendly
The Bay State’s bitcoin reserve bill encountered an early setback last month after state lawmakers remained silent, offering no responses on the proposal.
The bill, titled An Act Relative to a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, was introduced by Republican State Senator Peter Durant.
Per Bitcoin Reserve Monitor, the tepid response has added Massachusetts to the growing list of delays.
Further, a town in South Hadley, Massachusetts, is considering a ban on crypto ATMs, citing concerns around fraud and money laundering.
