Key facts
- The Protect Progress PAC has spent over $2 million on ads in Michigan's 13th Congressional District primary.
- The PAC is funded by cryptocurrency companies like Ripple Labs and Coinbase.
- The spending aims to support incumbent Representative Shri Thanedar and oppose challenger Donavan McKinney.
- Thanedar has supported crypto-friendly legislation during his time in the House.
- Fairshake PAC, an affiliate, has spent significantly in the broader 2024 and 2026 election cycles.
The Protect Progress PAC, an affiliate of the larger Fairshake PAC funded by cryptocurrency firms like Ripple Labs and Coinbase, has significantly increased its spending in Michigan's 13th Congressional District primary. Federal Election Commission filings reveal that the PAC has now spent over $2 million on media to support incumbent Representative Shri Thanedar and oppose his Democratic challenger, Donavan McKinney. This latest expenditure effectively doubles the PAC's reported spending from the previous week, with an additional $884,240 allocated to support Thanedar and over $150,000 to oppose McKinney.
Representative Thanedar has a voting record that aligns with the crypto industry's interests, having voted for legislation such as the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act and the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act. He also cosponsored the Promoting Innovation in Blockchain Development Act. McKinney has criticized this support, stating that the "crypto lobby is paying my opponent back." He also referenced claims about US President Donald Trump's significant earnings from crypto investments.
Fairshake PAC and its affiliates have been active in the broader 2024 and 2026 election cycles, spending millions to support candidates perceived as favorable to crypto industry policies. Beyond Michigan, Fairshake's affiliate Defend American Jobs PAC has also spent funds to support Republican candidates in Washington and Alabama congressional races.