Crypto PACs Pour $52M+ to Oppose Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate Race

Crypto-aligned political action committees have escalated spending against former Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio's closely watched 2026 Senate race, with two industry-backed groups committing more than $52 million to oppose his political comeback. Affiliates of the Fairshake PAC — largely funded by Coinbase and Ripple Labs — have increased their planned expenditures by over 50% in a contest seen as pivotal for congressional control.

According to Thursday filings with the Federal Election Commission, Defend American Jobs, a Fairshake affiliate supporting Republican candidates, spent $46.6 million on media opposing Brown and backing Republican incumbent Jon Husted. That figure represents a sharp jump from the $30 million Fairshake announced in September. The Digital Freedom Fund, a Super PAC created by Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, added roughly $3 million in ad spending this week, bringing its total Ohio media purchases to more than $5.9 million.

Brown, who previously chaired the Senate Banking Committee and was a vocal critic of crypto-friendly legislation, addressed the attack ads in a Friday appearance on Pod Save America. "Jon Husted is their boy," Brown said. "They know he's their guy, they know I'm going to hold him accountable and I guess it's a perfect storm, so they spend literally tens and tens of millions of dollars." Early voting in Ohio has been underway for 10 days, with the election less than three weeks away.

Fairshake's 2026 expenditures have already surpassed its $41 million 2024 campaign, which backed the same Republican challenger against Brown during his previous reelection bid. Beyond Ohio, Defend American Jobs reported spending more than $6.7 million opposing Independent candidate Dan Osborn in Nebraska's Senate race, where Republican Pete Ricketts — a supporter of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act — is also seeking office.