Former Financial Exec Reportedly Seeks to Challenge Warren

A potential rival has emerged to challenge Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) when she seeks re-election next year.

 

According to a Boston Globe report, business executive and GOP donor John Kingston has held meetings with Republican leaders in Massachusetts, including political aides to Gov. Charlie Baker, to discuss a potential candidacy. Kingston is a Harvard Law School graduate and a former vice chairman of the global investment management firm Affiliated Managers Group, and serves as a director of the Pioneer Institute, a conservative Boston think tank. Although he never ran for elected office, Kingston was vice chairman of the National Faith and Values Steering Committee for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential candidacy and has been a member of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Majority Makers and the Republican Governors Association Executive Roundtable.

 

However, Kingston was not a Donald Trump supporter in last year’s election. Instead, he switched his party registration from Republican to unenrolled prior and led an effort to boost former CIA operative and Goldman Sachs executive Evan McMullin as an independent candidate for the presidential election.

 

Warren announced her plans for re-election in January, 22 months ahead of the election. Previously, the most prominent potential GOP challenger was former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who toyed with running for office but announced earlier this week that he would instead support the Senate candidacy of Shiva Ayyadurai, a computer scientist.