Crypto PACs Spend Over $8M in New York, Maryland, and Utah Primaries

Crypto-backed political action committees have bet more than $8 million to support candidates in Tuesday’s primaries across three US states, with the spending tied to the makeup of the country’s Congress in 2027.

“Crypto-backed PACs disclosed spending more than $8 million on media to support candidates in three US states, as some Maryland Democrats have called on one candidate to reject “outside spending from crypto billionaires”

Cointelegraph

In Maryland’s 6th congressional district, Protect Progress, described as an affiliate of Fairshake that supports Democratic candidates, reported spending more than $516,000 on media for April McClain Delaney as of Monday.

Cointelegraph

The same Protect Progress filings referenced by the reporting showed combined expenditures of more than $5.5 million in Maryland’s 5th district and $1.4 million in New York’s 15th district for Adrian Boafo and Ritchie Torres, respectively.

In Utah’s 2nd congressional district, Defend American Jobs reported spending more than $400,000 on Republican Blake Moore’s primary, after what a Fairshake spokesperson called the “biggest spend of the cycle” in last week’s Alabama primary runoff.

A separate committee, the Fellowship PAC, disclosed $300,000 in spending to support Torres’ New York run, according to FEC disclosures cited in the reporting.

In Maryland’s 5th district, Protect Progress filings referenced by Cointelegraph showed about $24,000 in ads opposing Quincy Bareebe and $74,000 for media opposing Harry Dunn, both running against Boafo.

Dunn and Bareebe, along with Rushern Baker, issued a statement on June 15 against what they called the “influence of dark money and special interests” in the race, calling on Governor Moore, Senator Alsobrooks, and Congressman Hoyer to answer directly.

crypto.news

The statement asked: “Do you support nearly $8 million in outside spending from crypto billionaires and AIPAC in a Maryland Democratic primary? If not, they should say so publicly and call on Adrian Boafo to reject it.”

The Washington Post framed the same Maryland primary fight as a contest where “Pro-Israel and crypto money become central issue in Democratic primary,” tying it to a generational Democratic free-for-all after Steny H. Hoyer announced he would retire his Maryland seat after 45 years.

The Washington Post’s account also said the race drew 24 candidates and nearly $11 million tied to cryptocurrency and pro-Israel interests.

With Tuesday’s primaries set across Maryland, New York, and Utah, the reporting said attention is already turning to Colorado and Arizona, where primaries are scheduled for June 30 and July 21, respectively.

“Political action committees (PACs) backed by cryptocurrency companies and aligned interest groups have bet more than $8 million to support candidates in Tuesday’s primaries across three US states, which could impact the makeup of the country’s Congress in 2027”

Cryptonews.net

As of Monday, the reporting stated that none of the PACs had disclosed significant spending in any congressional races in Colorado or Arizona, even as it pointed to 2024 spending levels in those states.

In 2024, Fairshake and its affiliates poured more than $10 million into media to support Ruben Gallego’s Senate race in Arizona and $2.1 million for Democratic Representative Yadira Caraveo in Colorado’s 8th district.

The stakes were described in terms of potential impact on the makeup of the country’s Congress in 2027, with the spending framed as shaping outcomes in the primaries.

The Washington Post’s framing of the Maryland contest also tied the political fight to “nearly $11 million tied to cryptocurrency and pro-Israel interests,” underscoring how outside spending and issue alignment were presented as central to the Democratic primary.