Former Ripple Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz has made a notable contribution to attorney John Deaton’s Senate campaign, donating in XRP and reinforcing ties between the cryptocurrency community and blockchain-friendly political candidates. The donation came shortly after Deaton’s social media appeal for grassroots support during a pivotal election period.
Deaton, widely known for his advocacy during Ripple’s legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, has positioned his campaign to reject corporate PAC and lobbyist money. Instead, he emphasizes small-dollar donations—often between $25 and $100—from ordinary supporters, aiming to counter what he calls decades of entrenched political influence. Schwartz’s public endorsement immediately drew attention across the digital asset sector, underscoring the growing political activism of XRP holders and the wider crypto industry.
The campaign unfolds against a backdrop of rising crypto political spending. Pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake, backed by Ripple Labs and other firms, has spent roughly $28 million in this cycle alone, with an affiliated PAC committing nearly $40 million in the previous cycle to target anti-crypto legislators like former Senator Sherrod Brown. Deaton previously challenged Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2024, and while she won reelection, his continued bid tests the cryptocurrency sector’s expanding electoral influence—even as public skepticism toward digital assets remains divided.
