Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) gained a Republican challenger in her reelection to the Senate on Tuesday night, setting the GOP up for a long-shot bid in a blue state whose congressional delegation is all but locked in for Democrats .
The Associated Press called the race for John Deaton at 8:42 p.m., 42 minutes after the polls closed. Deaton won with 60.3% of the vote, followed by Bob Antonellis with 30.3% and Ian Cain with 9.5%.
Warren, who is seeking her third term in the Senate, hasn’t seen a competitive race since 2012, when she defeated then-incumbent Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican. In 2018, she received over 60% of the vote.
Deaton, an attorney, was by far the most well-funded competitor in Tuesday’s GOP primary, mostly due to the $1 million he loaned to his campaign. Deaton outraised Cain, president of the Quincy City Council, and had about $975,000 in the bank as of the end of June. Cain had $22,000 ahead of the primary, according to the Associated Press.
Warren’s seat is one of 23 being defended by Democrats or independents who caucus with Democrats this cycle, compared to the 11 Republicans are defending. Warren’s seat is ranked “solid Democratic,” and President Joe Biden received 66% in the district in the 2020 presidential election.