John Deaton projected to win Massachusetts GOP primary, will take on Elizabeth Warren for U.S. Senate seat

BOSTON – John Deaton will take on Elizabeth Warren for a seat in the U.S. Senate after winning the Massachusetts Republican primary on Tuesday, the Associated Press projects.

“I am truly humbled by the tremendous outpouring of support and grateful for the faith the voters have placed in me,” Deaton said in a statement. “Tomorrow, we begin the next phase of the campaign – an effort that will hold Elizabeth Warren accountable for her failures on the border, the unaffordable cost of supporting a family, a broken healthcare system, abandoning our ally Israel, and restoring faith in our politics. Voters are turning their back on divisive partisan politics and are ready to support a message of optimism, unity, and solving problems.” 

Deaton was by far the best-funded candidate in the GOP field, thanks mostly to the $1 million he loaned to his campaign. He more than doubled Quincy City Council President Ian Cain’s spending and had about $975,000 in the bank as of the end of June. In comparison, Cain had about $22,000 left in his war chest.  

Deaton also defeated engineer Robert Antonellis, who described himself as a staunch supporter of Republican nominee for president Donald Trump.

Cain released a statement after the AP projected Deaton won the primary.

“While tonight’s results are disappointing, I hold my head high for the movement and progress we have made over the course of this campaign. This was never about a singular person, but about highlighting the failures of our current representation and pushing for a brighter future for Massachusetts. I still have hope that we can finish that job,” he said. “I will continue to fight for the Commonwealth each and every day. Thank you to my family, friends, and volunteers who stood with me in this fight.”

Democrats have a lock on the Bay State’s congressional delegation, with both U.S. Senate seats and all nine U.S. House seats firmly in their column. They also hold lopsided supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature, where all seats are up for election in November. Nonetheless, Republicans hope they can build on their toehold in the state Senate, where they flipped a vacant Democratic seat in 2023. 

In August, Deaton joined his opponents for a debate in the WBZ-TV studio, hosted by political analyst Jon Keller. Deaton addressed why he believes he’s the right person to defeat Warren in the general election.

“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,” Deaton said. “I can do that without tearing people down… and she is the queen of finger-pointing politics.”