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ZEC $1,082 Crypto super PAC Fairshake spends millions more against Sherrod Brown
Fairshake's affiliate Defend American Jobs reported a $5.2 million media buy opposing Sherrod Brown in Ohio, followed by another roughly $1.95 million buy days
Key takeaways
- Spending passed the target. Fairshake earlier signaled plans to spend at least $30 million against Brown, and the filing shows it has moved past that figure.
- Ohio leads the map. The filing lists Brown's calendar-year-to-date total at about $46.66 million, the most expensive target of the industry's 2026 campaign.
- The war chest is large. Fairshake entered September with roughly $120 million in cash and is expected to spend more than $100 million this cycle.
What happened
Fairshake's affiliate Defend American Jobs reported new spending against Sherrod Brown in Ohio. A filing with the Federal Election Commission, signed Oct. 15, shows a $5.2 million media buy opposing Brown, followed days later by another buy of roughly $1.95 million, plus media-production costs.
The same filing lists Brown's calendar-year-to-date total at about $46.66 million. It also showed parallel spending supporting Brown's Republican opponent, Jon Husted, who inherited the seat after being appointed last year.
A second committee, the Digital Freedom Fund, reported approximately $5.94 million in spending in the race. Combined, the two crypto-aligned committees put the Ohio total near $52.61 million.
Why it matters
Brown is a former senator seeking to return to the chamber, not the sitting incumbent. The spending is aimed at keeping the seat with Husted in the November midterm election.
Brown previously chaired the Senate Banking Committee, where he stalled market-structure legislation before losing his seat in 2024, a defeat Fairshake spent roughly $40 million to help engineer. A return would give crypto skeptics a powerful voice on that committee.
The Ohio sums dwarf what Fairshake is deploying elsewhere. On Oct. 5 the network said it would back 32 House incumbents, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats, and committed an initial $6 million, or $1 million each, to six of them.
What is still unclear
- The reports give different totals for the Defend American Jobs spending: about $46.66 million in one filing summary and about $46.67 million in the other report.
- The reports do not state how much of the Ohio spending supports Husted versus opposes Brown beyond the combined figures.
Questions readers ask
How much has Fairshake spent against Sherrod Brown?
A filing signed Oct. 15 lists Brown's calendar-year-to-date total at about $46.66 million. That figure covers spending by Defend American Jobs, the Fairshake affiliate active in Republican-friendly races.
What is the combined crypto spending in the Ohio Senate race?
Defend American Jobs reported about $46.67 million, and the Digital Freedom Fund reported approximately $5.94 million. Together the two committees put the total near $52.61 million.
Who funds Fairshake?
Fairshake is funded largely by Coinbase, Ripple and Andreessen Horowitz. It entered September with roughly $120 million in cash.
Which House candidates has Fairshake backed?
On Oct. 5 the network said it would back 32 House incumbents, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats. It committed an initial $6 million, or $1 million each, to six of them.
