• Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse endorsed John Deaton in the Massachusetts Senate race against Elizabeth Warren, citing his advocacy for XRP holders and the crypto industry.
  • Ripple executives, including Garlinghouse and co-founder Chris Larsen, have donated to Deaton’s campaign.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has officially endorsed Republican candidate John Deaton in the highly watched U.S. Senate race for Massachusetts. Deaton, who has represented XRP holders in legal battles, is challenging incumbent Senator Elizabeth Warren, a vocal critic of the cryptocurrency industry.

On October 22, Garlinghouse took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his “enthusiastic and wholehearted” support for Deaton, citing his advocacy for both XRP holders and the broader crypto community.

The endorsement aligns with Ripple’s backing of Deaton, as Garlinghouse, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, and chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty have all contributed to Deaton’s Senate campaign. Ripple itself is a major supporter of the Commonwealth Unity Fund PAC, which opposes Warren and runs media buys in favor of Deaton.

The issue of cryptocurrency regulation has been a defining feature of the Senate race. In two debates held on October 15 and 17, Warren accused Deaton of being too closely aligned with the crypto industry, stating that:

“100% of his loyalty in Washington will be to crypto.”

Deaton countered, arguing that Warren’s focus on regulating digital assets overshadows more pressing issues such as immigration and the economy.

Garlinghouse’s endorsement and Ripple’s contributions underscore the crypto industry’s growing political clout. The Ripple CEO has previously criticized U.S. regulators, including SEC Chair Gary Gensler, whom he claimed would “be on the wrong side of the law and history” regarding crypto policies.

Despite Ripple’s support, Warren remains the frontrunner in the race, with polls showing her leading Deaton by at least 20 points as early voting begins in Massachusetts. Warren has held the Senate seat since 2013.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah

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