By Shealagh Sullivan, Belmont Voice staff
In a time when the Republican Party in Massachusetts seems to be struggling to find its identity, U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton says he’s trying a new approach.
“I’ve had three opportunities to vote for Donald Trump, and I’ve never pulled the trigger,” Deaton said.
Deaton is running against Sen. Ed Markey, complete with an “R” next to his name. The election is set for Nov. 3.
Previous Coverage
Deaton was born in Highland Park, Michigan, to a single mother. He grew up relying on food stamps and welfare, an experience he said informs his approach to issues ranging from health care to housing. He later became the first member of his family to graduate high school.
While at New England School of Law, Deaton enlisted in the Marines and served until 2002. A survivor of cancer himself, Deaton has spent a majority of his career representing mesothelioma and cancer victims.
Deaton sat down with a group of nonprofit newspapers from the Greater Boston area to discuss why he’s running for office, and how he thinks being an “independent voice” is exactly what Massachusetts needs on Capitol Hill.
Bipartisan Efforts
Though Deaton is running as a Republican for the second time — he previously ran against Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2024 — he said he wasn’t afraid to be an “independent voice.”
“I would say to a Democrat voter…is the status quo working in Massachusetts? We have one-party rule, and I think that one-party rule always leads to arrogance and even corruption, and I would feel that way if it was Republicans,” he said.
He differed from many Republican officials on abortion. Deaton described himself as “pro-choice” and said he firmly opposed a federal abortion ban and would support codifying the right to abortion into law. In other areas like immigration, he criticized Markey, at the same time saying federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers needed further training.
Deaton emphasized his willingness to work with representatives across the board, likening himself to former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin when it came to voting with both Democrats and Republicans.
“We all know that the ‘R’ in front of my name is a very difficult thing for people to get past in Massachusetts. I think what I would say to the voters is just get past the label and look and see who has better solutions to the problems of everyday people in Massachusetts,” Deaton said.
Healthcare
Markey has been a strong supporter of universal health care. Though Deaton emphasized the healthcare system needs a “revolution,” he argued government-funded healthcare isn’t a sustainable option.
“I say shame on the Republicans who complain about Obamacare but have never offered anything. We need a Teddy Roosevelt-style revolution in this country, especially when it comes to healthcare,” Deaton said.
In Belmont, town employees and retirees are seeing a 24% increase in health care costs. This fiscal year, town employees with Harvard Pilgrim will pay $322 per month for an individual plan and $873 per month for a family plan, based on a 75-25 split, in which the town pays 75% and the employees pay 25%. Those grandfathered into the former 80-20 split will pay $258 per month for an individual plan or $699 for a family plan.
The rates will be in effect at least until Jan. 1, 2027, when the town plans to join the state’s Group Insurance Commission to mitigate rising health care costs.
“I don’t think Medicare for all is the solution, but that doesn’t mean the government shouldn’t be involved,” Deaton said.
Deaton proposed breaking up major vertically integrated health insurance companies and instituting increased transparency measures on drug costs.
“[You] completely have to gut that whole system, demand complete transparency on every drug price, what the actual cost is, what the markup is. Why is this drug $385 in America and $35 in the U.K. or in Canada? Eliminate that and be very punitive about it, and that will create increased competition,” he said.
Affordability, Housing, and Energy
Deaton said housing and energy are problems that must be tackled together in order to ensure greater affordability across both Massachusetts and the nation. He advocates for cutting “red tape” that deters housing developers from building in the commonwealth and allowing them to access natural gas lines, as well as electric and green energy sources.
“We can lead as an example, but you can’t punish your residents and your businesses,” Deaton said.
Deaton touts a plan to build 5 million homes nationwide and said he supports exploring “real estate tokenization,” which he describes as “using blockchain-based ownership structures to let more people buy fractional stakes in property.”
Immigration
Deaton said he believes ICE has a role to play in immigration, and that deportations “are part of the equation.” However, he emphasized that officers need additional training, something he said has become starkly apparent after the shootings of citizens in Minnesota and Maine in recent months.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t reform ICE. I don’t support what’s going on. I don’t support masked men snatching people off the streets,” Deaton said.
He added that he supports expanding paths to citizenship, and approaching immigration and deportations on a case-by-case basis. Deaton’s platform also includes support for a pathway to legal status and citizenship for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), also known as “Dreamers.”
“We should not reward law-breaking, but neither should we punish those who had no choice in coming here and have known only America as home,” his website states.
Editor’s Note: The Voice interviewed incumbent Sen. Ed Markey in advance of the primary election. That story is at belmontvoice.org/markey-makes-his-case-for-reelection.
