- Khurram Dara, former policy counsel at Coinbase, is considering a run for New York State Attorney General in 2026.
- Dara may focus on digital asset regulation if he chooses to run, citing concerns over legal actions in the crypto sector.
- The current Attorney General, Letitia James, has taken enforcement actions against several major crypto companies.
- Dara advocates for reducing what he calls “lawfare” against the crypto industry and has criticized regulatory approaches from some state officials.
- Other Republicans, including Michael Henry, have announced their candidacies, while James has not declared her intention to run for re-election.
Khurram Dara, who previously served as policy counsel at Coinbase, is considering a campaign for New York State Attorney General in 2026, possibly succeeding Letitia James. Dara told Cointelegraph he has not yet made a final decision, but indicated that digital asset issues could become a key part of his campaign if he enters the race.
Dara, a graduate of Columbia Law School, has posted online in support of Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, who was found guilty in a New York court in August. Dara has also challenged public figures such as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has connected cryptocurrency with illicit activities.
Dara stated, “My platform would be focused on ending lawfare across the board, which certainly includes crypto.” He added, “Some state AGs believe it’s their role to fill a perceived ‘gap’ in federal policy […] effectively acting as national policymakers or regulators.” In New York, the Attorney General’s office has brought legal actions against firms like Genesis, former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky, NovaTech, and KuCoin to protect affected investors.
The state is home to major digital asset companies, including Gemini, Galaxy Digital, and Chainalysis. This concentration highlights the importance of how the AG’s office approaches digital asset rules.
In June 2024, James commented on alleged misconduct by NovaTech, saying, “We are seeing the real dangers of unregulated cryptocurrency platforms with schemes like these. New Yorkers can rest assured that we will use the tools at our disposal to crack down on crypto fraudsters.” Cointelegraph noted that James’ campaign had not responded to requests for comment and she has not announced if she will run again in 2026.
Dara, currently at the Council on Foreign Relations, has not held elected office before. He has experience as an intern in the New York State Senate, a law clerk for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and has worked for a Republican in the U.S. House. Should Dara run, he would follow other crypto-focused Republican candidates, such as John Deaton in Massachusetts, who lost to Warren in 2024.
Dara emphasized New York’s status as a center for crypto and tech, stating, “The crypto community is not asking for special treatment…They just don’t want to be targeted unfairly with regulation by litigation.” According to a December 2024 Siena College poll, James held a 40% favorability rating. As of August, Michael Henry is the only other announced Republican candidate, after losing to James in 2022.
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