Fairshake PAC Plans $30 Million Against Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate Race

Fairshake targets Sherrod Brown again in Ohio

Fairshake, a political action committee funded largely by cryptocurrency companies Coinbase and Ripple Labs, plans to spend $30 million opposing Democrat Sherrod Brown's bid to return to the US Senate representing Ohio. The PAC confirmed the spending through spokesperson Geoff Vetter, following reporting by the New York Times. Fairshake expects to announce additional expenditures before the midterm elections on Nov. 3.

Key numbers

• $30 million: Fairshake's planned spending opposing Brown in 2026
• $41 million: Fairshake's spending in the 2024 Ohio Senate race backing Bernie Moreno and opposing Brown
• $300 million: Combined spending by Fairshake and other PACs in the 2024 Ohio Senate race
• $122 million: Fairshake's reported war chest ahead of the election, as stated by Vetter in August
• Four points: Brown's margin of loss to Moreno in 2024

What Fairshake has said

In a statement to Cointelegraph, Fairshake spokesperson Geoff Vetter confirmed reporting by the New York Times that the PAC initially planned to spend $30 million opposing Brown's 2026 election bid. Vetter declined to comment on the PAC's broader strategy going into the midterms. In August, however, he said Fairshake had a $122 million war chest ahead of the election.

Why this matters

Fairshake is one of several cryptocurrency-aligned PACs attempting to influence voters in key 2026 races, when control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate is up for grabs. Brown previously served as chair of the Senate Banking Committee when Democrats held the majority, making him a significant figure in crypto policy debates. In 2024, Brown lost to Republican Bernie Moreno after more than $300 million in spending by Fairshake and other PACs.

What is still unclear

Cointelegraph reached out to Brown's campaign but did not receive an immediate response. Vetter did not specify what additional expenditures Fairshake plans to announce. As of the reporting date, prediction market platforms like Kalshi gave Democrats the odds of retaking a majority in the House and the Senate, though it remains uncertain how PAC spending will affect those outcomes.

Sources

• Cointelegraph

Read also: Crypto firms donate $206 million to US midterm super PACs, biggest disclosed corporate donor