Crypto Industry Pushes Against Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate Race
Key Summary
Industry-aligned PACs have spent over $52 million opposing Sherrod Brown's return to the Senate, with Fairshake and Digital Freedom Fund leading the charge. The increased spending reflects the crypto industry's efforts to influence the 2026 midterms and fill Congress with lawmakers supportive of their policies.
Precedent & Market ContextThe recent surge in spending by crypto industry-aligned PACs against Sherrod Brown in the Ohio Senate race has sparked concerns about the increasing influence of corporate money in politics. The Fairshake affiliate Defend American Jobs has spent over $46.6 million on media opposing Brown, while the Digital Freedom Fund has reported about $3 million in ad spending to oppose Brown and support Republican incumbent Jon Husted. This increased spending reflects the crypto industry's efforts to influence the 2026 midterms and fill Congress with lawmakers supportive of their policies. The Fairshake affiliate was not the only crypto-aligned PAC to ramp up spending as Ohio voters cast their ballots. The Digital Freedom Fund, a Super PAC created by Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, reported about $3 million in ad spending this week to oppose Brown and support Husted, bringing the group’s total media purchases in the Ohio race to more than $5.9 million. The Ohio race isn’t Fairshake’s only focus with the midterm elections looming. Defend American Jobs reported spending more than $6.7 million to oppose Independent candidate Dan Osborn in Nebraska’s Senate race. Osborn is running against Republican Pete Ricketts, who voted in favor of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act and the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act while in office. Cointelegraph reached out to Fairshake and Husted’s campaign for comment but did not receive an immediate response. Fairshake has been open about its intention to “back pro-crypto candidates” in 2026 as part of a goal to fill the next session of Congress with lawmakers supportive of policies favored by the industry. The PAC reported in January that it held $193 million in cash on hand ahead of the elections. Beyond PACs like Fairshake and Digital Freedom Fund, other groups aligned with crypto interests have already tried to influence 2026 voters. The Fellowship committee, backed by Cantor Fitzgerald and Anchorage Digital, reported spending more than $11 million between August 2025 and August 2026, largely on media supporting House and Senate candidates.