Sherrod Brown: Crypto PACs dump over $52M into Ohio Senate race

The Crypto War Chest

The plot thickens in Ohio as crypto-aligned political action committees (PACs) go all-in to unseat Sherrod Brown. According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, these groups have collectively dropped more than $52 million to ensure Brown doesn't secure his spot in the Senate.

At the center of the storm is Defend American Jobs, a group backed by the Fairshake PAC, which is largely funded by heavy hitters like Coinbase and Ripple Labs. They recently spiked their spend by over 50%, now dropping $46.6 million on media blitzes. That is a massive jump from the $30 million they initially pegged for this race back in September. The goal? To back Republican incumbent Jon Husted and stop Brown, who previously chaired the Senate Banking Committee and was a vocal skeptic of the industry’s policy wish list.

More Players, More Drama

It’s not just Fairshake making moves. The Digital Freedom Fund—the Super PAC founded by Gemini’s Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss—has also been active, putting another $3 million into anti-Brown/pro-Husted ads just this week. That brings their total contribution to over $5.9 million.

Brown, for his part, isn't staying quiet. During an interview on Pod Save America this Friday, he clapped back, saying, "I’ve spent my career taking on Wall Street, taking on big pharma, taking on big oil and been successful in many cases."

Beyond Ohio

Crypto money is looking highkey influential across the map this cycle. Defend American Jobs has also dropped $6.7 million to oppose Independent Dan Osborn in the Nebraska Senate race, aiming to boost Republican Pete Ricketts instead. Additionally, The Fellowship—a committee backed by Cantor Fitzgerald and Anchorage Digital—has spent over $11 million since August 2025 supporting their preferred candidates.

With early voting already well underway in Ohio and the election just three weeks away, the industry is making it clear that filling Congress with pro-crypto lawmakers is their main character energy for 2026.

Why it matters

These massive expenditures represent a major escalation in how crypto money is attempting to sway U.S. policy. If these PACs succeed, it could drastically shift the legislative landscape for digital assets in the next Congress. Real talk: monitor the spending, but remember that election outcomes and crypto markets are distinct—don't let the hype be your only source of truth.