Crypto-backed PAC spends $8.6M in Illinois races ahead of US midterms
The political action committee Fairshake continues to report spending on political candidates from its $193 million war chest, largely funded by crypto interest groups.
Fairshake, the political action committee backed by crypto companies Ripple Labs and Coinbase, among others, has reported additional spending on Illinois congressional races with the US midterm elections less than eight months away.
In filings on Sunday with the Federal Election Commission, Fairshake reported a $16,000 media buy to oppose Illinois state representative La Shawn Ford in his run for the US Congress in 2026, adding to its roughly $1.8 million spent in 2026 on the race. The state is set to hold primary elections on March 17.
The filing followed others from Friday, showing that the PAC spent more than $5.5 million to oppose Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who is running as a Democrat for the US Senate in the midterm elections. Protect Progress, a Fairshake associated group supporting Democratic candidates, reported about $84,000 spent to support Nikki Budzinski for her 2026 House run representing Illinois, and $90,000 for Robin Kelly’s Illinois Senate race.
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