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Pro-crypto candidates advanced in Michigan and Washington primaries on Tuesday after industry-backed political groups spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting congressional campaigns across both parties.
Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga won his party’s nomination in Michigan, according to the AP elections portal. He will face Democratic Sen. Sean McCann in November. Defend American Jobs, Fairshake’s Republican-focused affiliate, gave Huizenga nearly $512,000, according to Tech Influence Watch. A16z, Winklevoss Capital and Coinbase also supported his campaign.
Huizenga has backed clearer federal rules for digital assets. During a March 2025 House hearing, he linked stablecoin legislation with maintaining the US dollar’s reserve currency role.
Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, Kim Schrier and Marilyn Strickland also won their party primaries in Washington. Republican Amanda McKinney advanced in her district. Protect Progress, Fairshake’s Democratic-aligned affiliate, spent $113,120 for DelBene, $105,040 for Schrier and $103,020 for Strickland. Defend American Jobs gave McKinney $506,917.
The results extended Fairshake’s record of supporting candidates from both parties. How far can crypto funding shape congressional races while lawmakers continue debating digital asset regulation?
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Fairshake entered the 2026 midterms with $193 million, according to its January announcement. Coinbase and Andreessen Horowitz remain among the committee’s major financial supporters.
The group previously supported Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee, who defeated longtime Rep. Al Green during a Texas primary runoff in May. Meanwhile, lawmakers continued negotiations over the CLARITY Act. Senate offices worked through committee language, ethics provisions and anti-money laundering safeguards as Congress faced a crowded calendar.
The Digital Chamber also arranged meetings between member companies and lawmakers. White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt and Sen. Bill Hagerty expressed optimism about further progress. Still, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said many lawmakers were learning the proposal. He said that process complicated broader support because his committee controls major parts of the legislation.
Crypto-backed candidates advanced in Michigan and Washington after Fairshake affiliates spent heavily across party lines. Their victories came as Congress continued work on digital asset legislation, placing campaign funding and regulatory policy at the center of the 2026 election cycle.
