Ohio’s Senate Race and Cryptocurrency Influence
As the race for Ohio’s Senate seat heats up in 2026, a well-resourced political action committee focused on cryptocurrency is setting its sights on Sherrod Brown, a prominent critic of the crypto sector. The committee, known as Fairshake, has received substantial backing from influential figures and organizations within the cryptocurrency landscape, including notable names like Coinbase, Ripple, and the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
Previous Election Efforts
In the lead-up to the previous election in 2024, Fairshake invested more than $40 million in an effort to unseat Brown, who was then the chair of the Senate Banking Committee. Their campaign proved successful, leading to the election of Republican Bernie Moreno, a pro-crypto businessman whose win flipped an important committee seat. Since that time, Fairshake has significantly bolstered its financial resources, amassing over $140 million to continue its campaign efforts against Brown, according to a report from Politico published Thursday.
Fairshake’s Mission and Strategy
Fairshake’s spokesperson, Josh Vlasto, stated the organization’s commitment to supporting candidates who advocate for cryptocurrency while opposing those who do not. Brown’s leadership in the Senate Banking Committee from 2021 to 2025 was characterized by his opposition to legislation that favored the crypto industry, frequently raising issues related to money laundering and financial crime. This put him at odds with a growing faction of Democrats who were beginning to embrace cryptocurrency, a divide that Fairshake exploited in their last campaign.
Potential Challenges in 2026
A new factor influencing the 2026 election is the potential candidacy of Republican Jon Husted, who currently serves in the Senate following JD Vance‘s ascent to the vice presidency. Husted has shown a general inclination towards supporting cryptocurrency, which could complicate Brown’s path back to the Senate. Concerns regarding his seniority, should he reclaim his position, also loom, as Senate rules would revoke his previous leadership role unless amendments are made—something that could stir tensions given his contentious history with the industry.
Brown’s Standing Among Democrats
Although Brown lost the previous election by a narrow margin of three points, he remains a favored candidate among Democrats to retake the Ohio Senate seat. Remarkably, he performed over seven points better than Kamala Harris in Ohio, even amid significant financial backing for his opponents from crypto sources.
Fairshake’s Future Plans
Fairshake was founded in 2023 with the mission of supporting candidates dedicated to fostering an environment in the U.S. conducive to innovation in blockchain technology while advocating for clearer regulations. In addition to major contributors like Coinbase, which recently donated $25 million, Fairshake has also rallied support from Ripple Labs, Uniswap Labs, and entrepreneur Robert Leshner. Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase’s chief policy officer, emphasized the company’s commitment to safeguarding consumer interests while ensuring that pro-crypto narratives gain traction in critical races across the nation.
“We are building an aggressive, targeted strategy for next year to ensure that pro-crypto voices are heard in key races across the country,”
Vlasto reiterated, underlining the PAC’s strategic ambitions moving forward.
