Fairshake affiliates spend $46.6m against Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate race
Crypto-aligned PACs have spent more than $52m opposing Sherrod Brown's Senate return in Ohio, FEC filings show, as early voting continues ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Why it matters: Crypto-aligned PACs are directing tens of millions of dollars into key Senate races, a sign of how hard the industry is pushing to shape the Congress that will handle digital asset legislation.
Key points
- Defend American Jobs, a Fairshake affiliate, spent $46.6m on media opposing Brown and backing Republican Jon Husted, up from a planned $30m.
- The Winklevoss-backed Digital Freedom Fund added about $3m this week, taking its Ohio total past $5.9m.
- Fairshake reported holding $193m in cash on hand in January and has said it will back pro-crypto candidates in 2026.
Fairshake affiliates have spent $46.6m on media opposing Sherrod Brown in Ohio's Senate race, according to Thursday filings with the Federal Election Commission reported by Cointelegraph. The group Defend American Jobs, which backs Republican candidates, is supporting incumbent Jon Husted in the 2026 midterms. The figure is more than 50% above the $30m Fairshake said in September it planned to spend against Brown's return to the Senate.
Brown, a former senator who chaired the Senate Banking Committee, told Pod Save America that the ads were funded by the crypto industry. He said Husted was "their boy" and that the industry was spending tens of millions of dollars against him. Early voting in Ohio has been under way for 10 days, with just under three weeks until the election.
Fairshake's spending has already passed its 2024 effort, when it put $41m behind Republican Bernie Moreno against Brown.
Defend American Jobs also reported spending more than $6.7m against Independent Dan Osborn in Nebraska's Senate race. Fairshake has said it intends to back pro-crypto candidates in 2026 and reported $193m in cash on hand in January. Cointelegraph said Fairshake and Husted's campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
What to watch: Voters go to the polls in just under three weeks, with early voting already under way in Ohio for 10 days.
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