Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Endorses John Deaton for Senate Race
2024-10-23

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse endorsed John Deaton, a Republican, for the Massachusetts Senate election. This comes only days after Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen donated $10 million to the Democratic Presidential candidate.
This discrepancy between Ripple’s prominent spokesmen highlights a growing pro-crypto consensus in the US electorate.
Ripple and Elections
Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple XRPUSD, endorsed pro-crypto lawyer John Deaton for the upcoming Massachusetts Senate election today. Deaton is a member of the Republican Party, running against Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren. Warren recently attempted to soften her anti-crypto reputation but has a long history of regulatory efforts against cryptocurrency.
“John Deaton has been a relentless advocate for the XRP Army… and the entire crypto industry. Meanwhile, his opponent, Senator Warren spreads misinformation and lies about crypto. I endorse John enthusiastically and wholeheartedly in his run for Senate. I encourage you to donate to his campaign (as I have!)… and most importantly…VOTE FOR HIM,” he stated.
However, Garlinghouse’s endorsement highlights the divide in the US crypto community regarding the upcoming election. Although Ripple’s CEO is endorsing a Republican Senate race, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen has become a major booster for Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Ten days after donating XRP tokens worth approximately $1 million to Harris, Larsen made a subsequent $10 million donation. Garlinghouse has been an employee at Ripple for nine years and CEO for eight, a position Larsen previously held. Yet, these longtime associates and prominent company representatives are backing different sides.
As far as this Senate race is concerned, Garlinghouse may have a personal motivation. He publicly claimed that the US Government was targeting Tether earlier this year, and Warren has repeatedly called crypto “a new threat” to the country. According to recent polling, Warren is leading this race, so Garlinghouse may oppose her specifically, not her party.
Still, this partisan divide at Ripple’s leadership showcases the US electorate’s growing bipartisan consensus for crypto support. Democrats have consciously been attempting to rehabilitate their anti-crypto image, and Harris has made several pro-crypto campaign promises. Meanwhile, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has often spoken in support of crypto.
Both Republicans and Democrats have made attempts to cast themselves as the best choice for the crypto industry this election cycle. Ultimately, an ecosystem like this is liable to produce concrete gains for the industry. The community has come a long way since its earliest days, and regulatory victories have become frequent.