BOSTON – Ian Cain has announced a bid for the Republican nomination to go up against Elizabeth Warren for her Senate seat. Although he’s well known in Quincy, he hopes to introduce himself to the rest of the state.
What You Need To Know
- Ian Cain is running in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate
- He was born, raised and educated in Massachusetts, having grown up in Quincy
- He is a five-term city councilor, and is currently city council president in Quincy
- He has challenged candidate John Deaton to a debate; Deaton's team doesn't yet see Cain as a worthy opponent
Cain was spotted several times on the Boston Common Wednesday by people excited for him, excited by the Democratic side of the ticket, and just genuinely interested in learning about him.
The Quincy City Council president has been in public service for nine years, being elected five times to the council. His seat doesn’t go by party affiliation. Now, he’s running as a Republican for United States Senate.
“I appreciate the fact that I can work collaboratively, especially in a place like Quincy, which, you know, doesn't lead first with identity or party. It leads with, how do we best serve people? That's the brand of politics that I intend to bring to the U.S. Senate,” said Cain.
Cain says his party registration is inspired by the likes of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, and feels recently the party has been too defined by the top of the ticket. He thinks now is the time for the party to reconstitute its values. He believes in smaller government and healthy debate with the other side.
“There's 64% of the electorate in Massachusetts that are unenrolled, are not party affiliated voters,” said Cain. “I just don't think they've been presented with an opportunity to support a party like the Republican Party in Massachusetts in the past. And I'm excited to be a part of that future here in Massachusetts, where we can really usher in a nuanced, balanced and pragmatic debate to the table, that people can, you know, share their ideas.”
A lifelong Massachusetts resident, Cain believes he can better represent the voters than one of his challengers in the primary, John Deaton. Robert Antonellis is also a challenger.
At the end of the day, Cain says he thinks he is the best choice over Elizabeth Warren.
Cain formally challenged Deaton to a debate on Thursday morning. Deaton’s Campaign Manager Michael Gorecki said in a statement: "We're happy to have a conversation with Mr. Cain about possible debates once he proves himself a credible candidate with a serious campaign; he has a long way to go in that regard.”