Elizabeth Warren's GOP challengers brace for an uphill battle
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The Republican field vying to run against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November comes from outside the political mainstream, outside the GOP and even outside the state of Massachusetts.
Why it matters: Warren is a fixture of the left in Washington and an outspoken critic of many business interests — and she's attracted Republican candidates vying to make names for themselves with quixotic campaigns.
- The three men who want to replace her face long odds: She's still popular at home and the Republican Party is not.
Driving the news: Attorney and cryptocurrency advocate John Deaton overwhelmingly won a straw poll of Republican and unenrolled voters at a forum in Dedham Tuesday, according to Politico.
- The former Marine launched his campaign against Warren — perhaps the country's most prominent crypto critic — focusing on regulation of digital assets.
- He had to move from Rhode Island to Massachusetts to do it, but since relocating, Deaton has become a favorite of moderates who used to back former Gov. Charlie Baker.
Quincy City Council President Ian Cain has at least one thing in common with Deaton: he's no fan of former President Donald Trump, the GOP standard bearer who will be at the top of the ticket come November.
- Cain is also a crypto guy: He founded a tech incubator that focuses on blockchain, but he says his campaign is more about calling out Warren for leaving Massachusetts behind.
- Other ways Cain stands out from the GOP crowd: he's the only elected official in the race and he's Quincy's first Black and first openly gay city councilor. Plus, he only registered as a Republican this year.
The third man in the straw poll, Bob Antonellis, has done what the last few anti-Warren crusaders did and wrapped himself in Trump's MAGA banner.
- That strategy didn't work out too well for the 2018 Republican candidate Geoff Diehl, who lost to Warren 61% to 36%
What's next: The winner of the Sept. 3 primary will go on to face Warren in the general election Nov. 5.