Will the MassGOP Rush an Endorsement of John Deaton Tonight?

NOTES BETWEEN PRINTED EDITIONS

Will the MassGOP Rush an Endorsement of John Deaton Tonight?

By Kristen Brissettte

While the MassGOP seems poised to vote on an early endorsement of John Deaton for U.S. Senate when it is too early to even pull papers for signatures, some members are asking, “What is the rush?”

The reason for the rush is simple. An endorsement would shut out competitors giving Deaton an early, exclusive advantage of the Republican Party’s resources including coordinated mail services and regional office space.

Is it fair and proper to shut other candidates out of a primary election? A recent article published by Politico indicated that Sheriff Lew Evangelidis is considering a run for the same seat. [https://www.politico.com/newsletters/massachusetts-playbook/2025/11/17/the-gop-senate-primary-is-maybe-back-on-00654114] There may be other candidates considering a run as well.

Before taking a vote, another question is, “Who is John Deaton?” Here are some published quotes on record:

Deaton disclosed that he did not vote for President Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, or 2024. [https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2025-11-11/5-things-to-know-about-republican-john-deaton-whos-launching-his-second-us-senate-run].

Deaton said he voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 election and intended to write-in former Ohio Gov. John Kasich in 2016. [https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2024-09-23/john-deaton-says-if-hes-elected-to-us-senate-he-will-break-with-gop-on-some-issues]

When pressed on who he would vote for in the 2024 Presidential election, Deaton said, “I haven’t thought that hard on it, but the first person’s name that comes to mind for me would be someone like Charlie Baker.” [https://commonwealthbeacon.org/politics/heres-who-may-get-warren-challenger-john-deatons-vote-for-president]

Deaton is a self-described “pro-choice Republican” who said he disagreed with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling that overturned federal abortion protections. “I’m incapable of supporting laws that are going to take the rights away from my daughters. That doesn’t mean I favor late-term abortions, unless there’s exceptions for fetal anomalies or life of the mother. But I am pro-choice,” he said. [http://www.12727.org/meet-republican-senate-candidate-john-deaton.html] Deaton went so far as saying he would “switch parties to become a Democrat if the GOP takes up national abortion ban legislation.” [https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2024/10/02/elizabeth-warren-john-deaton-abortion-switch-parties-gop]

Deaton supports gay marriage saying, “On the campaign trail, I have been vocal about my support for marriage equality going back decades when leading figures in the Democratic Party were still promoting civil unions, not gay marriage. As we have seen in recent court decisions, civil protections must be enshrined into federal law, not secured by jurisprudence, and the U.S. Senate has a responsibility to act here. Unlike U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, I will not wait for another right to be taken away before taking action.” [https://www.facebook.com/deatonforsenate/posts/pfbid02GZ63hmvVUGfmvShixfG6i7JttTtCJ9rparZvNBmu2SptgxLg29NEaqApBWPWk4Bnl]

Deaton claims he has changed and that his campaign advisors gave him bad advice last run. Has he changed? A recent article states, “He’s still not a fan of now-President Donald Trump (he thinks, for instance, the Republican has gone too far with his hardline immigration policies). He still supports abortion rights and marriage equality.” [https://www.masslive.com/politics/2025/11/im-one-of-you-republican-john-deaton-declares-for-us-senate-against-ed-markey.html]

Members of the MassGOP state that the Republican National Committee is backing Deaton. Recall that the Trump administration has made serious personnel mistakes. It is up to the members of the MassGOP to make the best decisions possible for Massachusetts and the nation.

Prudence would be not to rush an early vote of endorsement and see who else might enter the race. Give yourself and the voters time to compare the candidates while offering a choice in the primary election.

~Kristen Brissette~

Editor’s Note:  Yesterday, the Deaton campaign put out a press release with this headline:

John Deaton Puts $1 Million of His Own Money into Senate Race — Solidifying Role as Massachusetts GOP’s Clear Standard-Bearer

The release concludes: “With this decisive move, John Deaton is proving he’s the candidate who will go all-in for the Commonwealth, ready to bring fresh, fearless representation to Washington and fight tirelessly for the families and communities he’ll be proud to serve.”