Crypto PACs Spend Millions to Influence Georgia Primary

The Protect Progress, a political action committee (PAC) affiliated with the cryptocurrency company-backed Fairshake PAC, has spent more than $4 million attempting to help secure a win for a Georgia state representative running for the US House of Representatives.

On Tuesday, Georgia voters will decide on their candidate in the primary for the state’s 13th Congressional district, where state representative Jasmine Clark faces competition among Democrats. According to data from the Federal Election Commission, Clark has been the beneficiary of more than $4.2 million in spending on media by the Protect Progress PAC ahead of the primary, as crypto-aligned interest groups attempt to influence voters in key elections.

Source: FEC

Notably, Clark appeared to have deleted a social media post from March saying that “digital assets are the future and provide long-overdue financial tools for unbanked communities,” referencing the US Congress considering a crypto market structure bill. She also completed a questionnaire from the Coinbase-aligned organization Stand With Crypto, which said she was a candidate who “expressed strong support for establishing clear legislative and regulatory frameworks for digital assets in the United States.”

Protect Progress and its affiliates Fairshake and Defend American Jobs are expected to spend millions of dollars in 2026 to support candidates they consider will advance pro-crypto policies and opposing those who don’t. In 2024, Fairshake spent more than $130 million on media and ads, resulting in what Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong called the “most pro-crypto Congress ever.” Coinbase is a backer of Fairshake.

Related: Crypto PACs spend $7.2M to support candidates in 5 US states ahead of elections

Not every election or party primary has been a winner for Fairshake or crypto interest groups seeking to influence voters. The PAC spent a reported $8 million opposing Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton in her US Senate primary, but in March more than 40% of voters chose her over candidates supported by Fairshake and Protect Progress-backed ads.

Screenshot of Stand With Crypto's rating of Jasmine Clark. Source: Stand With Crypto

“From a Stand With Crypto perspective, we are going to do everything we can to give our advocates the tools they need to make sure that they make an informed vote and they’re able to cast their ballot on election day for the candidate that is pro-crypto they care about,” Mason Lynaugh, executive director of Stand With Crypto, told Cointelegraph on the organization’s work in 2026. “If everyone makes their voices heard [...] we will have a more pro-crypto Congress than we did this past year.”

Cointelegraph sought a comment from Fairshake ahead of Tuesday's voting but did not receive an immediate response.

Texas run-off election also getting big spending

Next week, voters in Texas’ 18th Congressional District will head to the ballot boxes to decide between Representative Al Green and Democratic candidate Christian Menefee. Protect Progress reportedly spent more than $1.5 million opposing Green in a March primary, but Menefee only secured 46% of voters compared to Green’s 44%, triggering a runoff on May 26.

FEC filings showed Protect Progress spent more than $2.8 million on media opposing Green, who while in Congress voted against legislation the industry largely supported, including the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act. The PAC spent about the same amount supporting Menefee, who has publicly supported blockchain technology.