John Deaton, a pro-XRP lawyer and 2024 U.S. Senate candidate, could make another run for office in the 2026 midterm elections.
Although he lost to Senator Elizabeth Warren last time, new polling shows he may have a strong chance if he chooses to challenge Senator Ed Markey in Massachusetts.
A recent poll by SurveyUSA , commissioned by the Massachusetts Responsible Alliance, asked 775 registered voters about a possible race between Deaton and Markey. Initially, Markey had a solid lead with 45% of the vote, while Deaton had 26%, and 30% were undecided.
But things changed once voters were told more about Deaton’s views. The poll explained that he’s a moderate Republican who is pro-choice and doesn’t support Donald Trump.
After hearing this, many voters changed their minds. Deaton jumped 15 points, pulling ahead of Markey 41% to 38%. With undecided voters (called “leaners”) added in, Deaton’s lead grew to 7 percentage points, a big 22-point swing from the start.
One major reason for Deaton’s appeal is his independence from Trump. About 43% of voters said they were more likely to support him after learning he didn’t back Trump in 2024. However, this same stance could hurt him in a GOP primary, as 37% of Trump-supporting conservatives said they’d be less likely to vote for him.
Deaton outperformed Trump in Massachusetts during the 2024 election, earning 3.3 percentage points more than the Republican presidential candidate. This shows he has a base of support beyond traditional party lines.
Senator Ed Markey’s age may be another factor in the race. He’ll be 80 in 2026 and has spent nearly 50 years in Washington, with 37 years in the House and the rest in the Senate. Nearly half of the voters surveyed said that made them less likely to vote for him.
Deaton, now 57, said the poll humbled him and thankful that people are still interested in his message. He strongly supports term limits for Congress and used that as a key issue in his last campaign.
So far, Markey hasn’t commented on the poll or Deaton’s potential challenge. But if Deaton decides to run again, he’ll be starting with more name recognition and political experience than in 2024.
