Khurram Dara’s Potential Bid for New York State Attorney General
Khurram Dara, who previously served as a policy counsel at the prominent cryptocurrency platform Coinbase, is contemplating a bid for the New York State Attorney General position slated for 2026. His move comes as current AG Letitia James is eligible for reelection, but has yet to confirm her intentions for the upcoming race.
Interest in Digital Currency Issues
In a recent discussion with Cointelegraph, Dara conveyed that while he hasn’t officially declared his candidacy, he is intrigued by the idea, particularly as issues surrounding digital currencies are likely to become prominent during the campaign.
The Columbia Law School alum has already made statements on social media supporting Roman Storm, one of the founders of Tornado Cash, as well as confronting high-profile politicians, including Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who frequently links cryptocurrency to illegal activities.
“If I were to run, my campaign would focus on eliminating lawfare across various sectors, crypto included,” Dara stated.
He emphasized that the recent election underscored the relevance of cryptocurrencies in the political landscape, highlighting a shift in the federal regulatory climate that has led some state AGs to see themselves as de facto national regulators in the absence of clear federal guidelines.
Letitia James’ Tenure and Actions
Letitia James, who has been in office since 2019, has actively pursued legal actions against various crypto enterprises, representing New Yorkers who have been impacted by these businesses. Cases have targeted notable entities such as Genesis and former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky, along with allegations of fraud against NovaTech and KuCoin.
“New Yorkers can rest assured that we will use the tools at our disposal to crack down on crypto fraudsters,” James stated.
Efforts to reach James’ campaign for comment on Dara’s potential bid went unanswered at the time of the report’s publication. Currently, she has not revealed plans to seek reelection.
Dara’s Background and Political Landscape
As for Dara, he is poised to join the race as a Republican, a political newcomer at 36 years old, albeit with a history of internships in both the New York State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as working as a law clerk in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Should Dara proceed with a campaign emphasizing expertise in cryptocurrency legislation, he would not be alone; Republican lawyer John Deaton previously ran against Warren in 2024, attempting to capitalize on his knowledge supporting XRP tokenholders in litigation with the SEC concerning Ripple Labs.
New York is a critical hub in the tech and crypto world, home to various key firms including Gemini, Galaxy Digital, and Chainalysis. Dara believes that the state should leverage this technological innovation instead of resisting it, arguing that the crypto sector seeks fairness rather than preferential treatment.
Current Political Climate and Polling
In a recent Siena College poll, James enjoyed a 40% favorability rate among New Yorkers as of December 2024. Meanwhile, only one other candidate, Republican Michael Henry, has formally announced their candidacy for AG, building off his previous campaign against James in 2022, where he secured approximately 45% of the vote.
This race could become a focal point for growing tensions between regulatory approaches to cryptocurrency and fostering innovation within the state.
