Fairshake PAC Drops $11.4M to Block Sherrod Brown's Crypto-Curious Comeback Tour

A political action committee backed by Coinbase and Ripple Labs reported spending more than $11.4 million on advertising in the Ohio Senate race, targeting Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown and boosting Republican Jon Husted. The figure was disclosed in a Thursday filing with the Federal Election Commission by Defend American Jobs PAC, a Fairshake-affiliated group. The ad buys are part of Fairshake's pledge to spend $30 million in Ohio in an effort to prevent Brown from returning to the Senate, where he previously chaired the Banking Committee and emerged as one of the most vocal congressional critics of pro-crypto legislation.

Brown launched his Senate campaign in August 2025. When asked about his position on digital assets, he told Cointelegraph: "Cryptocurrency is a part of America's economy, and becoming more commonplace in Ohio and throughout the country. Just like what guides all my work, my goal is to make sure that as more people use cryptocurrency, it expands opportunity and lifts up Ohioans and they are not put at risk." Cointelegraph reached out to the Husted and Brown campaigns for comment on the latest spending but did not receive an immediate response.

The Ohio Senate contest marks a replay of the 2024 race between Brown, then the incumbent, and Republican Bernie Moreno, in which outside groups spent more than $300 million. FEC records show crypto-aligned PACs and their affiliates alone spent approximately $41 million to oppose Brown and support Moreno. Moreno won that election with 50.2% of the vote to Brown's 46.4%. Husted, the current Republican senator from Ohio, was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine after JD Vance vacated the seat to become vice president in 2024.

Fairshake, the Coinbase- and Ripple Labs-backed super PAC, has signaled continued spending in Ohio and other midterm contests, framing its efforts around jobs, innovation, and regulatory clarity for digital assets. The PAC's stated priorities include supporting candidates who favor lighter-touch frameworks for crypto and opposing those aligned with stricter enforcement or restrictive legislation.

Meanwhile, on the gubernatorial side, Vivek Ramaswamy, co-founder of the digital asset manager Strive and a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, secured the party's nomination in May 2026 and will face Democrat Amy Acton in November. Three co-founders of World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto venture, each donated the maximum $16,615 to his campaign: Chase Herro, Zak Folkman, and Zachary Witkoff. His PAC, V-PAC: Victors, Not Victims, also recorded $20 million from Susquehanna International Group co-founder Jeff Yass, $6 million from NYDIG founder Ross Stevens, and a $5,000 contribution.