Deaton focuses on housing, energy costs at Waltham GOP ice cream social

Waltham republicans gathered at Pizzi Farm Ice Cream for free scoops and political conversation with candidates for state and federal office, including U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton. 

The event gives Waltham Republicans a chance to meet one another and, during election years, hear from candidates seeking local and state office. Deaton moved from table to table, talking with attendees. 

Deaton is running unopposed in the Sept. 1 Republican primary. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton is challenging incumbent Sen. Ed Markey for the nomination. Deaton and Moulton participated in an unusual cross-party debate hosted by WBZ in June that Markey did not attend. Last Friday, Moulton did a bar crawl on Moody Street to socialize with voters. 

Deaton, a former Marine and trial attorney, unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s seat in 2024, losing in the general election. Now he is trying again to unseat Sen. Ed Markey. 

‘Priced out’

Deaton said housing affordability is a central issue in his campaign. He argued that young people once could take a second job to save for a down payment or another step toward their future, while many now need that extra income simply to cover rent and electricity. 

Asked how he would address housing affordability in Waltham, Deaton said he has visited the city four times and noticed that, like many surrounding communities, home prices have “skyrocketed” out of reach. He estimated that the average home in Waltham costs more than $600,000 and added that mortgage interest rates are at 6% as another barrier to homeownership. 

“That’s why I think young people are turning to crypto or turning to these betting sites,” he said. “They’re trying to build wealth in an era where they’ve been priced out of the traditional way of building wealth.”

Challenging the ‘status quo’

Deaton took aim at Sen. Markey’s support for a recent bipartisan housing bill, saying Markey had merely voted for legislation that drew broad support from Republicans as well as Democrats. 

Deaton argued that Markey has focused on policies he considers too far to the left rather than the affordability concerns facing Massachusetts residents. He gave the example of Markey’s support for abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. 

On energy, Deaton said he wants to expand nuclear power, including through small modular reactors, as a way to increase the state’s energy supply and lower costs. He contrasted that with Markey’s support for the Green New Deal policies. 

He has also proposed building 5 million homes over the next five years, including by making unused federal and state land available for development. 

Deaton said he feels confident facing either Markey or Moulton in the general election because he views both as representative of a status quo that needs to change. 

Lenore Karaian, a retired Waltham resident and member of the Republican City Committee, attended the event with her brother John. Karaian said she is considering voting for Deaton. She called out increased immigration in recent years as one factor she believes has contributed to the region’s housing shortage and criticized Gov. Maura Healey’s handling of immigration. 

“That’s why we have a housing crisis,” Karaian said. 

Waltham resident Steven B. said he supports Deaton for U.S. Senate, and like Deaton framed his support around a desire for political change.  

“It’s about time we get something new in Massachusetts,” Steven said.