Key Highlights
- Fairshake plans to spend $30 million on advertising and direct mail opposing Sherrod Brown’s Ohio Senate campaign.
- The campaign follows the Senate’s September 15 vote that failed to advance the CLARITY Act.
- Fairshake and two affiliated groups had about $120.4 million in funds available, according to filings cited by The New York Times.
Fairshake, a crypto industry-backed super PAC, plans to spend $30 million on advertising and direct mail targeting former Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio as he seeks to return to the Senate.
According to a New York Times report published September 21, the campaign is scheduled to begin Tuesday and will include television advertising and direct mail.
Fairshake’s financial activity, including its independent expenditures against federal candidates, is filed with and can be reviewed directly on the Federal Election Commission’s committee page for Fairshake.
The planned spending follows the Senate’s failure to advance the CLARITY Act on September 15 after a 49–50 procedural vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture. The lawmakers remained divided over ethics provisions and other regulatory issues.
Brown was previously targeted by Fairshake
The Ohio campaign follows Fairshake’s previous spending against Brown.
During the 2024 election, Fairshake and affiliated groups spent more than $40 million supporting Republican Bernie Moreno against Brown, who was then the senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, according to FEC filings compiled by OpenSecrets. Brown lost that race to Moreno.
During the 2024 election, Fairshake and affiliated groups spent roughly $41 million opposing Brown, who was then the senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.
Brown lost his Senate seat that year but is now running again in Ohio.
Brown has continued to discuss cryptocurrency as part of his economic and policy platform. In comments cited by The New York Times, he said crypto has a role in the economy while arguing that the industry should not determine its own regulatory rules.
“Crypto has a part, a role, in our economy. They do. They likely will for a lot of years to come.”
CLARITY vote precedes new spending
The planned campaign comes after the Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act on September 15.
The legislation was intended to establish a federal framework for digital asset markets, but disagreements remained over ethics provisions involving President Donald Trump’s financial interests in crypto, as well as other regulatory issues.
The procedural vote received 49 votes in favor and 50 against, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance.
The vote followed months of lobbying and negotiations involving the crypto industry and lawmakers.
The result also drew criticism from crypto industry figures. Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of Gemini, wrote on X on September 16: “Not a single Democrat voted for Clarity. There’s a lesson in that.”
Fairshake has already spent in other 2026 races
Fairshake’s activity this election cycle has extended beyond Ohio.
In Alabama, Fairshake affiliate Defend American Jobs spent more than $12 million during the Republican Senate primary and runoff, according to campaign spending records cited in reporting.
Fairshake has also indicated that it plans to support or oppose candidates in other House and Senate races based on their positions on cryptocurrency and digital-asset policy.
The group and two affiliated organizations had about $120.4 million available, according to filings cited by The New York Times and reviewable directly on the FEC’s Fairshake committee page.
AI political spending follows a similar pattern
Fairshake’s spending comes amid broader political spending by technology industries.
A report published in June found that corporate political spending in the 2026 midterms had reached $517 million, with crypto, artificial intelligence and online betting companies among the industries contributing to the total.
U.S. companies spent $517 million on House and Senate races during the 15 months through the end of the first quarter, according to data compiled by Public Citizen.
Crypto political spending continues after CLARITY Vote
Fairshake’s planned Ohio campaign shows that the group’s political spending is continuing after the Senate’s CLARITY Act vote.
The $30 million campaign will target Brown’s Ohio Senate bid, while Fairshake and its affiliated groups have already spent in other 2026 races.
The group’s latest spending adds another campaign to its political activity ahead of the November elections.
Also Read: Nate Geraci, Eric Balchunas Push Back on WSJ Report Blaming Brian Armstrong for CLARITY Collapse
