Crypto PAC Fairshake Scales Back Massachusetts Primary Ad Spending

Protect Progress PAC, an affiliate of the crypto-backed political action committee Fairshake, spent approximately $189,000 on media to support Representative Jake Auchincloss ahead of Massachusetts' 4th congressional district primary on September 1, 2026. Federal Election Commission (FEC) records revealed the spending marked Fairshake's latest move to influence the 2026 election cycle using funds sourced from the crypto industry. The PAC and its affiliates previously poured more than $130 million into ads and media during the 2024 election cycle, making it one of the most active crypto-aligned spending groups in US politics.

Democratic challenger Jason Poulos alleged that portions of the spending funded "AI-generated slop mailers" backing the incumbent Auchincloss. In an August 16 letter, Poulos called on the lawmaker to publicly renounce Protect Progress' efforts, claiming Auchincloss had accepted $77,500 directly from crypto-industry sources since 2020. Poulos pointed to Auchincloss's vote in favor of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in July 2025 — a market structure bill that has yet to be signed into law as it awaits Senate consideration.

Fairshake reported holding $122 million in cash on hand ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, following approximately $3.6 million in spending on House and Senate races in Alaska, Florida, and Wyoming during August. "With dozens of wins in House and Senate races across the country, and $122 million ready for the fall, we're not slowing down heading into November," Fairshake spokesperson Geoff Vetter said. Massachusetts is among the last US states to hold primaries this cycle, with New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Delaware primaries scheduled later in September.