Crypto-backed PAC spends $8.6M in Illinois races ahead of US midterms

The political action committee Fairshake continues to report spending on political candidates from its $193 million war chest, largely funded by crypto interest groups.

Fairshake, the political action committee backed by crypto companies Ripple Labs and Coinbase, among others, has reported additional spending on Illinois congressional races with the US midterm elections less than eight months away.

In filings on Sunday with the Federal Election Commission, Fairshake reported a $16,000 media buy to oppose Illinois state representative La Shawn Ford in his run for the US Congress in 2026, adding to its roughly $1.8 million spent in 2026 on the race. The state is set to hold primary elections on March 17.

The filing followed others from Friday, showing that the PAC spent more than $5.5 million to oppose Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who is running as a Democrat for the US Senate in the midterm elections. Protect Progress, a Fairshake associated group supporting Democratic candidates, reported about $84,000 spent to support Nikki Budzinski for her 2026 House run representing Illinois, and $90,000 for Robin Kelly’s Illinois Senate race.

Altogether, according to The Daily Northwestern, the PAC and its associated groups have poured about $8.6 million in the Illinois races, a sixfold increase over what it spent in the 2024 elections for races in Midwestern US state. The committee has a larger war chest of funds from the cryptocurrency industry and others, reporting $193 million in its coffers as of January, and has publicly stated it will “oppose anti-crypto politicians and support pro-crypto leaders” in 2026.

Related: Crypto PACs secure massive war chests ahead of US midterms

Rather than support candidates directly through campaign donations, Fairshake and its associated groups typically fund ads to support or oppose politicians, often on issues completely unrelated to crypto policy. PACs are required to report spending and contributions to the Federal Election Commission.

Fairshake has already made moves in 2026 for some of the early state primaries ahead of the midterm elections.

Last week, residents in North Carolina, Texas and Arkansas voted on some of the first candidates to be decided for the general election. Protect Progress reportedly spend $1.5 million opposing the reelection of Texas Representative Al Green, who has served in Congress since 2005.

While Democrat Christian Menefee, whom the advocacy organization Stand With Crypto rates as “strongly supports crypto,” did not win outright against Green, both candidates will head to a runoff in May.

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Source: CoinTelegraph