Key facts
- Coinbase, Ripple and Andreessen Horowitz financed a super PAC that spent $55 million against Sherrod Brown's Senate bid, per the report.
- Sen. Jon Husted received donations from Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Microsoft President Brad Smith, per the report.
- Former Rep. Tim Ryan co-leads the Blockchain Innovation Project and previously served on a Coinbase advisory board, per the report.
Cryptocurrency companies and technology donors put $55 million into a super PAC campaign against former Sen. Sherrod Brown's bid to return to Washington, with populist Democrat Brown holding a narrow lead in polling ahead of Election Day, according to the report.
Coinbase, Ripple and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz financed the super PAC operation, the report said. Brown's opponent, Sen. Jon Husted, received donations from technology figures including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Microsoft President Brad Smith.
Former Rep. Tim Ryan, who the report says co-leads a pro-crypto group called the Blockchain Innovation Project and previously served on a Coinbase advisory board, said the money shows the race is a priority for the industry: "The biggest tell in politics is money coming into a race."