Stand With Crypto announces endorsements for US congressional candidates
Stand With Crypto, a Coinbase-founded advocacy group established in 2023, announced endorsements for several U.S. congressional candidates. The organization is targeting Senate and House races across states like Ohio, Iowa, Alabama, and New Hampshire to shape digital asset legislation as lawmakers debate the future of market structure bills.
Targeted Senate and House Races Shape the 2026 Midterms
The industry-backed organization is stepping up its electoral footprint just 34 days ahead of the midterm elections. Bloomberg first reported the endorsements on Wednesday, highlighting key Senate races including Republican Jon Husted in Ohio, Republican Ashley Hinson in Iowa, and Democrat Chris Pappas in New Hampshire. Husted is currently defending his seat against Democrat Sherrod Brown, stepping into a battleground state that saw outside groups pour more than 300 million U.S. dollars into the 2024 Senate contest between Brown and Republican Bernie Moreno.
Beyond the upper chamber, Stand With Crypto backed candidates for the House of Representatives. The list includes Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa and Democrat Shomari Figures in Alabama. These endorsements arrive as current polling suggests Democrats could regain control of both the House and the Senate by 2027, shifting legislative power on Capitol Hill.
The Legislative Stalled Status of the CLARITY Act
A shift in congressional control directly impacts how lawmakers handle cornerstone digital asset proposals, including the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act. The market structure bill passed the House with bipartisan support in 2025, but hit a wall in the Republican-controlled Senate earlier in September 2026 when it failed to secure enough votes to end debate.
Following the failed September 15 vote, Stand With Crypto warned of electoral consequences for lawmakers who opposed the legislation. The group previously backed 32 House candidates in August, labeling them as proven champions for digital asset policy.
Political action committees funded heavily by crypto industry heavyweights are fueling these electoral efforts. The Fairshake PAC, backed largely by contributions from Coinbase, Ripple Labs, and Andreessen Horowitz, pledged an initial 30 million U.S. dollars to support Husted in Ohio against Brown. By June, the PAC had already deployed 82 million U.S. dollars for candidates nationwide.
Broader Policy Debates and State-Level Rulemaking
The federal legislative fights unfold alongside state-level regulatory developments, such as proposed crypto tax rules in Illinois that outline the legal treatment for decentralized finance (DeFi) and stablecoins.
Cointelegraph reached out to Stand With Crypto for further clarification regarding the endorsement of Jon Husted, but did not immediately receive a response.