Pro-crypto advocate and aspiring US Senate candidate John Deaton has outpaced incumbent Senator Elizabeth Warren in fundraising during the year’s first quarter.
According to publicly available data from the Federal Election Commission, Deaton raised $1.36 million, surpassing Warren’s $1.1 million.
Crypto Community Throws Weight Behind Deaton
Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett revealed that Deaton’s support base included several prominent figures in the crypto industry, including Ripple’s Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen, Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson, Gemini’s Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and Bitcoin entrepreneur Jameson Loop.
Earlier in the year, Deaton launched an official campaign to unseat Elizabeth Warren in the US Senate. Due to Warren’s pronounced anti-crypto stance, his campaign has drawn enormous support from industry leaders.
Warren has noticed Deaton’s momentum, as reports indicate she’s intensifying efforts to rally her donor base. The lawmaker reportedly portrayed Deaton as a crypto advocate aligned with the Republican Party, emphasizing her advocacy for stricter regulations on the industry.
John Deaton’s Donation Summary. Source: Federal Election Commission
While Elizabeth Warren asserts confidence in her ability to face any challenge, her outreach for donations suggests she recognizes the potential threat John Deaton poses.
Warren has successfully secured her Senate seat twice. During this period, she has pushed several anti-crypto policies, including a proposed Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act to increase compliance within the emerging industry. Due to these moves, the lawmaker believes the crypto industry has placed a target on her back.
Read more: What Could Elizabeth Warren’s Senate Reelection Bid Mean for the Crypto Industry?
Nonetheless, Deaton views himself as a credible contender, citing internal sources revealing Warren’s mention of him in various communications. He also alluded to a video featuring Warren and Karen Spilka joking about his book, hinting at his candidacy’s seriousness.
“A friend of mine is a registered Democrat in Texas. He called me the other day to let me know that he’s received multiple emails from Warren mentioning me by name and calling me a serious threat to her seat. I reminded him that it’s not her seat, and I intend to reclaim it and give it back to the working families of Massachusetts. I’m on Senator Warren’s mind for a good reason…if a candidate had zero chance to win, he wouldn’t be on your mind and you certainly wouldn’t make jokes about how he has no chance. Somebody’s worried,” Deaton added.
