Crypto-Aligned PAC Spends $11.4M to Oppose Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate Race

Crypto PAC’s Spending in Ohio Senate Race

Defend American Jobs PAC, affiliated with the Coinbase- and Ripple-backed group Fairshake, revealed in an FEC filing that it spent $11.4 million on advertising supporting Republican Jon Husted and opposing Democrat Sherrod Brown’s potential Senate return. Fairshake pledged to spend an initial $30 million in Ohio’s Senate race aiming to block Brown, who formerly chaired the Senate Banking Committee and was critical of pro-crypto legislation and policies.

Past Election Context and Spending Impact

In the 2024 Ohio Senate race, Democrat Sherrod Brown, then incumbent, faced Republican Bernie Moreno. Outside groups like Fairshake spent over $300 million on the campaign, with crypto-aligned PACs and affiliates alone spending about $41 million to oppose Brown and support Moreno. Moreno narrowly won with 50.2% of the vote to Brown’s 46.4%.

This historical spending backdrop highlights how crypto industry efforts have increasingly influenced Ohio’s political landscape.

Jon Husted’s Appointment and Political Position

Jon Husted was appointed to the Senate seat by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine after then-Senator JD Vance vacated it following his election as US vice president in 2024. The Defend American Jobs PAC’s financial backing represents substantial support for Husted’s incumbency in the Senate.

Other Crypto-Backed Political Candidates in Ohio

Vivek Ramaswamy, co-founder of digital asset management company Strive, ran as a Republican in the 2024 US presidential race and often spoke favorably about crypto and blockchain. After the 2025 inauguration, he announced his candidacy for Ohio governor and secured the Republican nomination in May 2026, set to face Democrat Amy Acton in November.

Ramaswamy’s campaign benefits financially from World Liberty Financial’s co-founders and through his PAC "V-PAC: Victors, Not Victims," which has attracted donations totaling $20 million from Susquehanna co-founder Jeff Yass, $6 million from NYDIG founder Ross Stevens, and further contributions from the Bitcoin Voter Project.