- The crypto-aligned Defend American Jobs PAC spent $11.4 million on ads backing Republican Jon Husted and opposing Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s Senate race.
- The PAC is affiliated with Fairshake, backed by Coinbase and Ripple Labs, as part of a $30 million pledge to block Brown, a former Senate Banking Committee chair.
- In 2024, crypto groups spent $41 million against Brown, who lost to Republican Bernie Moreno in a race with over $300 million in outside spending.
- Vivek Ramaswamy, running for Ohio governor, has received donations from World Liberty Financial co-founders and other crypto donors.
A political action committee aligned with the cryptocurrency industry reported spending $11.4 million on media buys supporting Republican Jon Husted and opposing Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s US Senate race, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.
The Defend American Jobs PAC, affiliated with the Coinbase– and Ripple Labs-backed group Fairshake, made the expenditure as part of a pledged $30 million effort to block Brown. Brown previously chaired the Senate Banking Committee and was a leading voice against pro-crypto legislation.
In an August 2025 inquiry, Brown told Cointelegraph: “Cryptocurrency is a part of America’s economy, and becoming more commonplace in Ohio and throughout the country.” He added: “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.”
In 2024, the Ohio Senate race between Brown and Republican Bernie Moreno drew more than $300 million in outside spending. FEC records showed crypto-aligned PACs spent about $41 million to oppose Brown, and Moreno won with 50.2% of the vote.
Husted was appointed to the Senate by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine after the seat was vacated by JD Vance, who became US vice president in 2024.
Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has received maximum donations from three co-founders of World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s crypto company. His PAC also reported donations totaling $20 million from Susquehanna International Group co-founder Jeff Yass and $6 million from NYDIG founder Ross Stevens, according to FEC records.
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