Crypto and AI PACs spent $250 million in 2026 federal elections

The Ohio Senate special election emerged as the largest tech-money race, drawing $64.2 million, almost entirely from crypto PACs. This surge followed the failure of the Clarity Act in the Senate, prompting the Fairshake network to spend over $56 million to support incumbent Jon Husted and oppose Sherrod Brown, a vocal critic of the industry. Brown maintains a narrow lead in polls, and a loss would represent a significant failure for crypto’s political influence. Meanwhile, in Nebraska, crypto PACs spent $13.5 million to oppose independent candidate Dan Osborn, who has criticized industry figures, while supporting incumbent Pete Ricketts.

In South Carolina, the AI sector made its biggest competitive bet, with the Leading the Future network spending over $2 million to support Darline Graham, replacing her late brother Lindsey. This race highlights the intersection of AI infrastructure and politics, with opponents labeling Graham “Data Center Darline” due to her stance on data center development. These expenditures underscore the growing financial influence of tech industries in shaping legislative outcomes, particularly regarding regulation and infrastructure.