Fairshake and its allied super PACs are launching their first broad general-election play in House races this cycle, landing less than a month before November's midterms decide who runs the House and Senate. The aim is straightforward: keep lawmakers who align with crypto policy priorities in their seats.
"Fairshake has always been and always will be an issue-focused organization," spokesperson Geoff Vetter said. "We back pro-crypto candidates who support American innovation in both parties." Its partner PACs include Protect Progress - a committee that typically backs Democrats - and Defend American Jobs, which usually lines up with Republicans.
All told, the network says it will back 32 incumbents this fall, split between 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats. Each of them voted for the CLARITY Act when the House passed it 294-134 in July 2025.
Political money is how an industry buys itself a seat at the rulemaking table. Market Briefs covers crypto policy free every morning.
Fairshake is pledging at least $1 million to six incumbents: Democrats Janelle Bynum of Oregon, Steven Horsford of Nevada, and Derek Tran of California, and Republicans French Hill of Arkansas, Bill Huizenga of Michigan, and Bryan Steil of Wisconsin. The group has not detailed spending levels for the other 26 races.
Republicans on the slate: Ben Cline in Virginia; Troy Downing in Montana; Tom Emmer and Michelle Fischbach in Minnesota; Scott Fitzgerald and Bryan Steil in Wisconsin; Mike Haridopolos in Florida; Pat Harrigan and David Rouzer in North Carolina; French Hill in Arkansas; Bill Huizenga and Lisa McClain in Michigan; Brian Jack and Austin Scott in Georgia; Frank Lucas in Oklahoma; August Pfluger in Texas; Guy Reschenthaler and G.T. Thompson in Pennsylvania; and Jason Smith in Missouri.
The Democratic roster includes California Reps. Pete Aguilar, Jimmy Panetta, and Derek Tran; Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania; Janelle Bynum of Oregon; Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey; Steven Horsford of Nevada; Jonathan Jackson of Illinois; Lucy McBath of Georgia; Sarah McBride of Delaware; Hillary Scholten of Michigan; Terri Sewell of Alabama; and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia.
Several of these lawmakers are positioned to steer crypto policy next year. Hill chairs the House Financial Services Committee, Huizenga is the committee's vice chair, and Steil leads its digital-assets subcommittee.
This spending wave comes weeks after the CLARITY Act failed to advance in the Senate, leaving the industry's marquee market-structure push unresolved. Supporters say the bill would define how tokens are issued and traded, shift responsibility for many digital assets away from the SEC and over to the CFTC, and reduce the likelihood of certain assets facing securities-law enforcement. With the measure in limbo, the next Congress could decide the shape of U.S. crypto regulation.
Fairshake's backers include Coinbase, Ripple, and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz. According to FEC filings, Fairshake and its two affiliated PACs began September holding roughly $120.4 million in cash. Earlier this cycle, they disbursed $71 million over 57 primaries and special elections, with their preferred candidates winning 53. Outside House contests, the network has already put nearly $30 million this cycle toward trying to defeat Democratic Senate nominee Sherrod Brown in Ohio, after spending about $40 million against him in 2024, when he was Senate Banking chair, promoted tougher crypto rules, and stalled a House-passed market-structure bill.
Bottom line for your wallet: the people writing the rules influence which crypto products exist, how they trade, and what risks fall on investors. With midterms reshaping Congress, this much money moving around is a real-time signal that the playbook for your crypto exposure is still being written.
Where that spending lands tells you which rules are actually in play. Get the free Market Briefs daily newsletter and follow the campaign.
